Mowi Canada West announced on October 26 that it has made the “difficult decision to temporarily cease operations at its Dalrymple salmon hatchery near Sayward, British Columbia.” The action was directly attributed to the Liberal Government’s decision on December 17, 2020 to cancel salmon farming licenses in the Discovery Islands.
The former federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Bernadette Jordan, stated that her decision only impacts the Discovery Islands. However, the action to remove 30% of Mowi’s production has forced the company to reduce its hatcheries by one. Dalrymple hatchery – one of three owned and operated by Mowi – will be closed in May 2022, with a plan to restart when production requirements allow. Seventeen employees will be affected by the shutdown.
“The decision of the former Minister continues to challenge our company and has lasting implications. It is clearly evident her decision is far reaching, incredibly damaging to the communities where we operate and could have been mitigated had the Ministry engaged with our company to fully understand the impact on coastal communities who depend on this sector,” said Dean Dobrinsky, spokesperson for Mowi Canada West.
“Our heart goes out to those employees who built their career with Mowi and whose families relied on this hatchery for their livelihood. We look forward to reopening the facility when production needs require it.”
The Dalrymple facility typically produces 600,000 kilos of Atlantic salmon, or approximately 5. 5 million fish, per annum.
Mowi will look for opportunities within the organization for the affected employees and for now will rely on the continued production at its Big Tree Creek and Ocean Falls hatcheries for smolt supply.
Mowi Canada West and other affected companies in British Columbia are currently in Federal court for a judicial review of the decision made by Jordan, regarding licenses for salmon farms in the Discovery Islands area. Mowi Canada West is asking the courts to find the decision unreasonable and to set them aside.
About the Company
Mowi Canada West operates salmon farms and processing plants on British Columbia ’s Central Coast, Vancouver Island and in Surrey where more than 400 people raise 30,000 tons of sustainable Atlantic salmon each year. It is part of the Bergen, Norway-headquartered Mowi ASA group, formerly known as Marine Harvest, the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon.
