Open-pen salmon farming to continue in N.B., despite closure on West Coast
New Brunswick’s Aquaculture Minister, Margaret Johnson, supports continuing marine-based net-pen salmon farming despite the federal ban in British Columbia by 2029, emphasizing the industry’s economic benefits and sustainability.
The federal government respects provincial jurisdiction over aquaculture in New Brunswick, contrasting with its regulatory authority in B.C.
Conservation groups in New Brunswick, such as the Atlantic Salmon Federation, criticize open-net-pen salmon farming for environmental risks, including sea lice, disease, and interbreeding with wild salmon, and advocate for stricter regulations or a shift to land-based containment.
Cooke Seafood defends the industry as sustainable and economically vital, while dismissing criticism from environmental groups as unfounded.