TERRACE - In the wake of more scientific evidence linking fish farms to sea lice in wild salmon, New Democrat Fisheries Critic Robin Austin is calling on Agriculture Minister Pat Bell to act on the recommendations of the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture.

A report written for the B.C. Pacific Salmon Forum concludes that fish farms are the main source of sea lice on wild juvenile salmon.

"This is hardly news to anyone," said Austin, the NDP MLA for Skeena who chaired the legislative committee. "But it adds more weight to the body of scientific work which shows that fish farms are detrimental to wild stocks.

"It's time for British Columbia to move toward doing fish farming better - which was the thrust behind the committee's efforts. Moving toward ocean-based closed containment systems would be good for the industry, good for the environment and good for the wild stocks."

Austin said the case is closed on sea lice everywhere but in British Columbia, largely because the Agriculture Minister ignores evidence he doesn't like.

"The Campbell government is resistant to improvements in the aquaculture industry and that shows they're more interested in satisfying the needs of their big donors than they are protecting our environment. It's extremely disappointing that they withheld this report from the committee.

"Minister Bell needs to tell British Columbians what he intends to do to make aquaculture more sustainable and to protect our wild salmon stocks."