In late January 2026, the federal government of Canada upheld the decision to ban open net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery Islands of British Columbia.

The government of Canada made the decision to ban open net-pin salmon farming in British Columbia, including those in the Discovery Islands, in June 2024, requiring that open-pen salmon operations cease by June 30, 2029. Subsequent 5-year licenses were issued with stricter conditions as a transition to the 2029 shutdown; however, the government previously decided in 2020 not to renew licenses for fish-farm pens in the Discovery Islands and began the process of removing nets. The initiative was intended to protect wild salmon from pathogens and sea lice associated with open-net farms.

The Discovery Islands, located between northern Vancouver Island the mainland, is considered a critical migration route for Fraser River sockeye and other salmon populations. Environmental groups and scientists have put forth that fish farms expose wild salmon to parasites and diseases, a contributing factor to steep population declines in wild salmon. The topic became a long-running debate among environmental groups and the fish-farm industry.

In the summer of 2025, the salmon farming company Mowi Canada West launched an appeal of the federal court ruling confirming that the fisheries minister has authority to make precautionary decisions under the Fisheries Act. Mia Parker, performance and certification director of Mowi, expressed disappointment that the Federal Court of Appeal did not find in their favor, but that the findings of the court will be respected. Mowi is represented in 25 countries and employs 11,000 people worldwide. Mowi business areas include Feed, Farming, and Sales & Marketing.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association continues to maintain that Canadian-raised salmon is a source of protein and a significant contributor to the economy with the most significant impacts felt on Vancouver Island and in the lower Mainland. The Association says the province could lose $1.2 billion in economic activity.

The Federal Government of Canada will continue to phase out open net-pen salmon farming across the province by 2029.

Photo credit: West Coast NOW