First Nation touts land-based fish farming success [Video]

The ‘Namgis First Nation says a fish farm it owns near Port McNeill shows the potential of land-based aquaculture in B.C.

Known as a closed-containment system, it is leased to and operated by a company called Kuterra.

The facility originally produced Atlantic salmon, but has since switched to farming steelhead.

“We’re currently harvesting four tons a week. And that’s roughly 2,000 pieces. So, there’s roughly 2,000 fish in this tank,” said production manager John Burton as he gestured to one of several large tanks in the facility.

To reduce potential impacts to wild salmon, the federal government has given open net salmon farms along the coast five years to transition to closed-containment systems.

The facility owned by ‘Namgis is one potential option for what that could look like.

The First Nation commissioned the facility 14 years ago because it wanted to demonstrate that closed-containment systems could work.

‘Namgis leadership has …