Salmon farmers, Mowi and Cermaq, will now face trial for judgment over the decision to shut down several facilities along Canada’s west coast, according to the salmonbusiness.com website.

In December, it was decided that permits to farm around the Discovery Islands in British Columbia should be phased out starting June 30, 2022. The background is the consideration of local indigenous people, who are concerned about the negative impact on wild salmon in the area.

Both Mowi Canada West and Cermaq Canada said, according to Salmonbusiness.com, that they had to cut their workforce in light of the planned layoffs.

Cermaq Canada emphasizes in a statement that the judicial review only focuses on the decisions and exercise of authorities, and that they respect the opinions and rights of indigenous peoples in the area.

“The legal review that Cermaq has recommended is intended to give Cermaq time to contact local indigenous organizations regarding operations in their area”, wrote the company, which thus hopes to cooperate on an agreement that ensures future agriculture in the area.

– outrageous

“The decision, timing perspective and lack of precision is unreasonable, and threatens the viability of Mowi’s entire operation in British Columbia,” Mowi Canada said in a statement, according to several Canadian media outlets.

The country is one of the world’s largest producers of farmed salmon, with annual production approaching 150,000 tonnes. Only Norway, Chile and Scotland are greater.

At the forefront are Norwegian companies such as Mowi, Cermaq and Grieg Seafood. Mowi is definitely the largest, with facilities on the country’s west and east coasts, and produced 54,000 tonnes of salmon in Canada in 2019.

It is not yet possible for E24 to get comments from Mowi.

Salmonbusiness.com: Cermaq and Mowi go to court over Discovery Island terminationCermaq’s statement can be found here