FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2006

CONTACTS:
Don Staniford, in Oslo - 011.44.7769.712.184
Bart Naylor, in Oslo - 202.285.9107
Dave Bard, in Washington, D.C. - 202.778.4551

Advocates for Salmon Aquaculture Reform File Shareholder Resolution at Pan Fish Annual General Meeting

Pan Fish urged to stop exporting environmental problems and bad labour practices

OSLO, Norway — The Pure Salmon Campaign will file a shareholder resolution at Pan Fish's annual general meeting asking the company to adopt closed containment technology to remedy environmental impacts on salmon farms. Accompanied by two First Nations leaders from Canada and a Chilean, the campaign plans on providing first-hand accounts of how Pan Fish's operations are exporting environmental problems and poor labour conditions to other countries.

Chief Bob Chamberlin of the Kwicksutaineuk Ah-kwa-mish people at Gilford Island in the Broughton Archipelago and Eugene Bryant from Lax'la'aalms believe Pan Fish's salmon aquaculture practices threaten the traditional way of life of British Columbian aboriginal people. These two First Nations leaders, representing 14 tribal communities, will attend the Pan Fish annual general meeting to voice their concerns about the dangers of salmon farming.

"The way Pan Fish is operating in our territories is putting our traditional food sources in jeopardy," said Chief Bob Chamberlin. "My people rely on salmon for survival, but those wild fish could eventually be wiped out, if Pan Fish fails to adopt strict environmental standards. Our governments aren't listening to our concerns, so it is our duty to take these issues directly to the salmon farmers themselves."

"Pan Fish is not welcome to expand their operations and put a cluster of salmon farms right at the mouth of the Skeena River," said Eugene Bryant. "My people have seen how escaped farm salmon and sea lice from the farms have devastated wild salmon populations in the Broughton Archipelago. We can't afford to have the same thing happen in our waters."

Pan Fish's reach is felt not only in Canada's coastal waters, but also along the Chilean coast where sub-par labor conditions have advocates calling for immediate reform on salmon farms.

"To date, 13 divers have died while working at Pan Fish's newly acquired Chilean salmon farms," said Giuliana Furci, coordinator of the salmon farming campaign of Fundacion TERRAM, a Chilean group concerned about the environmental, social and economic problems associated with current salmon farming practices. "These facilities have poor security measures and divers are subcontracted, releasing Pan Fish of its liabilities. As the industry leader, Pan Fish needs to step up to the plate, and establish and implement the strongest health safety standards possible."

Citing numerous peer-reviewed studies and news accounts, Pure Salmon Campaign's resolution asks the companies to "undertake the necessary steps to adopt salmon production techniques so that disease transfer, waste pollution and escapes are eliminated and to make sure that fish feed is sourced solely from sustainable fisheries."

"It makes long-term economic sense to establish sustainable operations," said Don Staniford, Pure Salmon Campaign's European Organizer. "Closed containment systems are the only way the salmon industry can move forward in an environmentally and economically sustainable fashion."

Pure Salmon recently filed similar shareholder resolutions urging Fjord and Cermaq, two of the world's largest salmon producers, to reform industry practices.

For a copy of the resolution, click here.

The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global project of the National Environmental Trust. It has partners in the United States, Canada, Europe and Chile all working to improve the way salmon is produced.