Dear editor,
It seems that Port Hardy’s mayor and council members (with the exception of Fred Robertson) had an “interesting”, “informative” and “enjoyable” tour of Marine Harvest’s net-pen fish farm business. The mayor even proclaimed “Every person we met out there was a really quality person”.
Excuse me but any corporation’s Indigenous Partnership Liaison is going to make sure everyone puts their best foot forward during a promotional tour. Of course Marine Harvest is going to look its best. Even the weather cooperated. And, oh yes, doesn’t Marine Harvest throw a lot of funding at Port Hardy like any good corporate citizen?
I just hope Mayor Bood can describe the wonder of witnessing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat to his grandchildren. Unfortunately, they won’t have that option if the net-pen fish farms continue adding lice, pathogens and antibiotics to the ocean.
Land-based, closed-containment aquaculture is the way of the future albeit more costly to corporations that are loathe to cut into profits.
Then there’s the employment aspect. The same spinoff jobs from net-pen fish farming will be there with closed-containment. And proportional equations aside, 13,233 jobs in 25 countries amounts to 530 jobs per country.
So … we’re endangering our wild salmon, whales, bears et cetera for 530 jobs. Honestly?
Fred Middleton,
Sointula
* The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the North Island Gazette. If you have a different opinion, we request you write to us to contribute to the conversation.