— April 14, 2007 —
“Election campaigns are an important time for citizens to ask their potential representatives about issues that are most important to them,” says Pamela Parker, Executive Director of the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association. “Our industry is a complex one, and we want to ensure candidates are well-informed about the value our industry brings to the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia economies and to Canada as a whole, about our farming practices and our commitment to protecting the marine environment.”
Today, the association sent letters to candidates outlining the economic and socio-economic impacts from salmon farming as well as the industry’s Integrated Pest Management Plan to manage sea lice. The letter also asks candidates for their support for a new federal Aquaculture Act which will provide the clarity and security needed to attract investment, bring new jobs and support a modern industry that will ultimately allow Canada to become a global leader in aquaculture.
“Too often, candidates base their positions on misinformation that circulates about our industry and some feel that supporting salmon farming is contrary to supporting a traditional fishery or wild salmon conservation. That’s just not the case. It’s not a ‘we’ versus ‘them’ scenario,” says Parker. “We all share the same goals of protecting our valuable marine ecosystem upon which we all depend and of maintaining a healthy fishery. Both the traditional fishery and our industry continue to provide important benefits to our community, and we firmly believe we can co-exist and work cooperatively.”
To read our letter to candidates, please click here.
The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association, formerly known as the New Brunswick Salmon Growers’ Association, is an industry-funded association that works on behalf of the salmon farming industry in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The ACFFA represents 95 per cent of salmon production in the Maritime region in addition to a wide range of supporting companies and organizations.