Representatives of communities across B.C. have voted against open-net fish farms. The vote took place at the Union of BC Municipalities meeting in Whistler.
The City of Victoria's resolution was endorsed in April by the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities and urges the Province to begin the consultation process for a transition from open net-pen salmon farming to safer land-based salmon aquaculture.
After new legislation passed last month in Washington state, B.C. is now the only place on the west coast of North America still allowing open-net Atlantic salmon farming.
Conservation groups are calling on the provincial and federal governments to take similar action here.