West Coast Groups to PM Carney: Next Fisheries Minister Must Be from BC

“A capable and knowledgeable Fisheries Minister from BC is best positioned to protect Canadian food security and defend our coastal economies.”

The Alaskan interception fisheries on BC salmon poses such a risk to salmon fisheries on BC's coast that Ocean Wise has revoked its sustainable seafood certification for salmon harvested by Southeast Alaska fishers, citing concerns over stock interception, bycatch, and impacts on endangered species, particularly the southern resident killer whales. Photo credit: Watershed Watch

As Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares to unveil his first cabinet on May 12, three British Columbia organizations are calling on him to appoint a Fisheries Minister from BC. In an open letter sent this week, the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and SkeenaWild Conservation Trust argue that the complex and urgent challenges facing the Pacific fisheries demand regional leadership with firsthand knowledge of the issues.

The open letter poinst to several crises affecting BC’s marine environment, including collapsing wild salmon runs, stalled aquaculture reforms, and overharvesting by corporate- and foreign-owned fleets.

“With the department already working with limited capacity, we are going to need a minister with a local understanding to get the Northern Bioshelf Region marine protected areas and the license modernization initiative just right. These two items are going to greatly shape the viability of fishing as a career and BC’s economic future.”

James Lawson, active harvester and UFAWU-Unifor Elected President

“As critical Pacific Salmon Treaty renegotiations with the United States approach, and with the persistent threat of Alaskan overfishing, the ongoing phase-out of open-net salmon farms in BC, and the necessity of building on the previous Liberal government’s Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative, we believe that Canada would be best served by appointing a Fisheries Minister from British Columbia,” said Aaron Hill, Executive Director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society.

In their open letter, the group says that in BC, keystone species like salmon and herring are under intense pressure, with consequences for food security, biodiversity, and local economies. Photo credit: Dave Alan on iStock

This sentiment is backed by Jesse Zeman, Executive Director of BC Wildlife Federation, who told The Skeena, “We have found that not only does the elected minister not have a handle on what is happening out here, but also the unelected officials don’t have a handle on how things work out here,” indicating that the Fisheries Assistant Deputy Minister should also be from British Columbia. For Zeman, the continued ability of “the public to fish recreationally” requires a “BC-born minsiter who understands how important fish are to everyone on the coast and how to implement solutions to preserve and grow fish populations.”

One has to look no further than former Minsiter of Fisheries, Diane Lebouthillier, who is from Quebec, to understand how previous ministers have disregarded the well-being of BC’s coastal waters and communities. In her case, she broke the Liberal promise of phasing out all open-net pen salmon farms by 2025, extending this deadline to June 30, 2029. This decision subjects BC salmon to four more years of the well-documented infection from fish farm-derived parasitical salmon lice, viruses, and bacteria.

In 2024, Former Minsiter of Fisheries, Diane Lebouthillier, who is from Quebec, allowed existing open-net Atlantic salmon farms to extend their licenses for another five years instead of following through with the government’s commitment to have all of these fish farms out of BC waters by 2025. It is these types of decisions that have British Columbians calling for the appointment of a Fisheries Minister from BC. Photo credit: Gab602.

As the open letter states, “A Minister from BC will inherently understand the importance of completing this process” of “transitioning BC’s foreign-owned salmon farming industry onto land.”

The open letter also calls for the “urgently needed reform of British Columbia’s fishery management framework,” including revamping the quota and licensing system, which heavily favours monied interests, while leaving community-based fishers unable to make a living from their own coastal waters.

James Lawson, active harvester and UFAWU-Unifor Elected President, told The Skeena, “With the department already working with limited capacity, we are going to need a minister with a local understanding to get the Northern Bioshelf Region marine protected areas and the license modernization initiative just right. These two items are going to greatly shape the viability of fishing as a career and BC’s economic future.”

“Healthy fisheries translate to greater prosperity, well-being, and security for Canadians. A capable and knowledgeable Fisheries Minister from BC is best positioned to protect Canadian food security and defend our coastal economies.”

Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director at Raincoast Conservation Foundation

The open letter also warns that Alaska’s aggressive interception of Canadian salmon continues to threaten bilateral cooperation and sovereignty.

Mark Carney was elected Prime Minister of Canada in 2025, ushering in a new era of economically focused leadership amid global trade tensions and domestic calls for competitiveness reform. Photo credit: Dave Chan on AFP

“Alaska’s extensive interception fisheries on Canadian salmon continue to pose a significant and immediate risk to the stability and future of one of Canada’s most important fisheries,” said David Mills, Fisheries Advisor at Watershed Watch. “A Fisheries Minister from BC can support Canadian negotiators and help protect our sovereignty in turbulent times.”

For the organizations behind the open letter, the needed federal investments, fisheries reform, and marine protected area planning all require a leader who understands the stakes on BC’s coast—where ecosystems, economies, and cultures depend on healthy oceans.

As Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director at Raincoast Conservation Foundation, told The Skeena, “Healthy fisheries translate to greater prosperity, well-being, and security for Canadians. A capable and knowledgeable Fisheries Minister from BC is best positioned to protect Canadian food security and defend our coastal economies.”

Sally Wong

Written by Sally Wang

Hailing from Nanaimo, Sally has worked on the water since she was a teenager, cultivating a passion for coastal life that has shaped her career since.

She grew up spending summers exploring the island's rugged coastline and working in her family's seafood restaurant. Those years instilled a real appreciation for the richness of BC’s coast and its marine life, and the livelihoods they support.

Sally spent summers in Prince Rupert with family. It was here that she first experienced a captivating cultural tour that left a lasting impression. Inspired by the stories and rich heritage she encountered, she later pursued a career as a tour guide, sharing her passion for our coast’s history, culture, and natural beauty with others.

Outside work, Sally can often be found beachcombing, fishing, experimenting with new recipes, or diving into the histories of BC’s coastal industries. Her love of local stories and history also inspired her to become a writer, focusing on in-depth explorations of the cultural and economic forces shaping BC’s coastline.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Pickleball Popularity Surges at Rupert’s 2nd Annual Tournament