FISH FARM HATCHERY DECONSTRUCTED

FIRST NATIONS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND WILD FISHERS PROTEST THE EXPANSION OF AQUACULTURE ON BC COAST

(OCEAN FALLS, BC TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2002) 60 people in a fleet of 14 boats arrived at Ocean Falls to protest the construction of a fish farm hatchery of Omega (owned by financially troubled PANFISH). The protestors were predominantly Heltsiuk and Nuxalk First Nations, but the Forest Action Network (FAN), other environmentalists and commercial fishermen also attended.

Once on site, two members of FAN successfully deconstructed the concrete foundation of the hatchery, while the First Nations and others abstained from any civil disobedience. Clement Lam of FAN has been arrested and has been told he will be released once he signs a Promise to Appear.

Omegaís Ocean Falls hatchery is considered by many to be the symbolic beginning to the expansion of Fish Farms on BCís coast.

ìThis protest is a symbol of how communities are losing patience with a Government who is ignoring them and ignoring science while promoting dirty fish farming,î says Edward May, spokesperson of FAN, ìas the destructive industry expands, inevitably the heat of protests will rise.î