Are B.C.’s salmon farms doomed?

In today’s The Big Story podcast, for years, advocates have been citing the damage open-net salmon farming does to the environment off the B.C. coast. And in recent years the government has agreed with them. But salmon farming is a key part of B.C.’s identity, and economy. Now a deadline has manufacturers looking for ways to sustainably farm the lucrative fish, but many are skeptical there’s a way to make the switch in time without going bankrupt.

Shannon Waters is a B.C. politics and environment reporter at The Narwhal.

“The big question is whether the industry can actually make a transition. And I heard a lot of doubt, a lot of frustration, and not a lot of optimism from people who are working in the industry,” said Waters.  

What does the future hold for B.C.’s salmon farming industry? What’s so wrong with the industry’s current practices? And is there a way to thread the needle and find a sustainable future that satisfies everyone?