MARCH 4th 2018
COMMENTARY BY CAPTAIN LOCKY MACLEAN
SEA SHEPHERD MARINE OPERATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR
Hornby Island, Strait of Georgia, BC, CANADA locky@seashepherd.org
The herring stocks of West Coast Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and Prince Rupert have already collapsed. The Federal Government’s recent closure of the Central Coast area, an already wiped out herring fishery, only takes attention away from the slaughter taking place right now in the Strait of Georgia.
Sea Shepherd and scientist Alexandra Morton have new evidence on the impacts that salmon farms have on wild fish in British Columbia, Canada.
Sea Shepherd’s research vessel, the R/V Martin Sheen, is currently in the middle of Operation Virus Hunter II, a salmon defense campaign off the coast of British Columbia, assisting Morton in her investigation on the impact that salmon farms have on wild salmon and herring populations in the province.
Second salmon farm now occupied by First Nations
The Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw, led by Hereditary Chief Willie Moon, occupied another Marine Harvest salmon farm, Wicklow Point, in the Broughton Archipelago off northeastern Vancouver Island, on Thursday.
This second occupation follows their August 23rd day-long peaceful occupation of Cermaq’s Burdwood Farm.
Hereditary Chief Ernest Alexander Alfred, along with a group of First Nations people, have peacefully occupied the Marine Harvest salmon farm, Swanson Island.
They state they will remain on the farm until their Chiefs are satisfied that the Province of British Columbia has cancelled that farm’s Licence of Occupation and forcing it to leave their territory. The farm is located 17km east of Alert Bay.
Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw take action at Cermaq salmon farm off northeastern Vancouver Island
The Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw, led by Herditary Chief Willie Moon, occupied the Cermaq salmon farm, Burdwood, in their territory in the Broughton Archipelago off northeastern Vancouver Island, on Wednesday.
Concurrently, Fraser River First Nations are holding a rally at noon in the city of Vancouver outside the Department of Fisheries and Oceans offices. The rally is in support of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw action at the salmon farm to reclaim their territory from outside businesses profiting off their waters without permission and affecting their most important food resource.
The R/V Martin Sheen’s research mission to protect wild salmon is being watched and documented by Norwegian giant Marine Harvest
Norwegian-based Marine Harvest, which owns numerous salmon farms occupying the coastal Pacific waters in Canada, appears to be sending local employees to tail Sea Shepherd while the non-profit conservation group conducts its wild salmon defense campaign, Operation Virus Hunter II.
Sea Shepherd’s vessel, the RVMartin Sheen is currently off the coast of British Columbia with independent biologist Alexandra Morton, stopping at various salmon farms to conduct audits for disease and other factors. Recent discoveries include tens of thousands of wild herring trapped in post-harvest salmon pens belonging to Marine Harvest and Cermaq.
Video footage captures startling evidence
One week after launching its wild salmon defense campaign, Operation Virus Hunter II, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is already making alarming discoveries: wild fish trapped in farmed salmon pens.
Biologist Alexandra Morton, actor/activist Martin Sheen, environmentalist David Suzuki to kick off campaign July 27th, 2017
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is reteaming with renowned Canadian biologist Alexandra Morton on Operation Virus Hunter II, the non-profit organization’s wild salmon defense campaign.
The campaign will launch on July 27th with a press conference at Vancouver’s False Creek Harbor at 1 p.m. on board Sea Shepherd’s R/VMartin Sheen.
Biologist Alexandra Morton, actor/activist Pamela Anderson and environmentalist David Suzuki to speak at press conference on July 18
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has teamed with renowned Canadian biologist Alexandra Morton and actor/activist Pamela Anderson for Operation Virus Hunter, a new campaign investigating the lawfulness of the salmon farming industry in British Columbia.
