BC WILDERNESS TOURISM ASSOCIATION URGES IMMEDIATE
CLOSURE OF ALL FISH FARMS ON KEY ROUTES
NO MORE SALMON FARMS IN BC UNTIL IMPACTS CLEAR
Campbell River, August 3, 2005
The BC Wilderness Tourism Association (WTA) representing
nature-based tourism operators and their sector associations
announced today that it is urging the BC and federal governments
to immediately close salmon farms on migratory routes in the
Broughton Archipelago and along the North Coast. The 100-member
organization also supports a moratorium on the expansion of
open net caged finfish aquaculture until peer reviewed science
shows minimal or no impact on wild fish stocks. In the short
term, the organization is calling for the fallowing of fish
farms located on key migration routes in time for the spring
2006 migration.
"Many of our businesses and operations completely depend
on healthy wild salmon stocks," said Brian Gunn of Strathcona
Park Lodge and president of the WTA. "We can’t
afford to sit around and wait for more science when the wild
salmon in this province are known to be threatened."
The WTA decided to take action based on the precautionary
principle, which favours protecting wild salmon rather than
the continued operation of salmon farms. The WTA has met with
industry, environmentalists, scientists and the BC Salmon
Farmers Association.
"If the wild salmon runs are low when they return in
a few weeks, it could spell disaster for all tourism-based
business not only in the Broughton but coast wide," said
Craig Murray, owner of Nimmo Bay Heli-Venture Resort, which
caters to fly fishing enthusiasts and adventure seekers in
the Broughton Archipelago. "BC’s tourism industry
needs government and the salmon farm industry to act now to
make sure salmon farms are fallowed, or moved from migratory
routes to protect the wild salmon."
Tourism is British Columbia's largest land-based employer
with 117,500 full-time direct jobs and gross annual direct
revenues of $9.5 billion. Within BC tourism, wilderness tourism
is the fastest growing sector. Wilderness tourism generated
$900 million in direct revenues in 2001. Adding in spin offs
and indirect revenue generated from travel to and from nature-based
operations, total revenue in 2001 was $2 billion (21,000 full-time
jobs). WTA members include the BC Lodging and Campgrounds
Association, the Commercial Bear Viewing Association and the
BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association.
For more information, please contact:
* Brian Gunn, president of the BC Wilderness Tourism Association,
(250) 203-3045 (cell)
* Craig Murray, owner and manager of Nimmo Bay Resort in Port
McNeil, (250) 956-4000
* Michael Uehara, president of King Pacific Lodge on the North
Coast, (604) 987-5452, or (604) 551-0145 (cell)
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