Critics are raising concerns about a semi-enclosed salmon farm operated by Cermaq in Millar Channel, located in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia. Since the plant opened in late 2024, environmentalists and biologists have been ringing alarm bells about the facility’s pervasive, lingering smell. The facility has been the target of intense scrutiny ever since. There has been some progress; the federal government is making courageous moves to create a farmed salmon free transition across British Columbia. Now the effectiveness of Cermaq’s very experimental technology is under fire.
Cermaq has been developing its semi-closed farming technology at the Millar Channel facility for a number of years. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) refers to this technology as a game-changer. It does an excellent job reducing the interactions between farmed and wild fish populations, having a major impact on the conservation of sensitive species. Yet its operational performance is now being called into question after alarming revelations about its environmental impacts.
Environmental Concerns
Recent federal health inspections uncovered appalling conditions on the Cermaq facility. These investigations found enormous piles of feed and feces covering the seafloor under the facility. The monitor’s use of a remote-operated vehicle uncovered a “massive area” that was “100% covered with feces and fish feed. This disheartening discovery should raise serious issues regarding the farm’s waste management practices.
“Whatever is happening here, the fact that there has been sludge and oil all around the site for two months now clearly signals some type of failure of the system.”
In addition to the DFO’s own investigations, the agency has received numerous whistleblower complaints, yet found no urgent compliance failures. A spokesperson stated, “DFO investigated and did not identify non-compliance at this time, including with respect to regulatory sampling limits.” Many advocates oppose this determination. In specific, they challenge the argument that the existing regulatory framework is adequately protecting against the environmental risks posed by these operations.
Environmental groups argue that operating salmon farms in the ocean can expose already vulnerable wild fish populations to various pathogens. Stan Proboszcz, a fish biologist with the network Watershed Watch Salmon Society, questioned whether Cermaq’s innovations would make enough of a difference.
“It’s being marketed as a solution but it’s clearly failing and they don’t want people to know.”
The Transition from Open-Net Farming
In 2022, Canada’s then-fisheries minister Joyce Murray announced the government’s intention to phase out open-net pen salmon farms along B.C.’s coast. Along with much-needed marine health protections, it will help address public health worries linked to toxic practices in fish farms. Though these intentions are commendable, Cermaq’s move has already ignited a contentious debate over the future of salmon farming in the region.
Cermaq’s Millar Channel facility located literally next door to a traditional open-net pen salmon farm. This arrangement makes it possible to compare side by side the environmental impacts of the two styles of farming. As environmental critics have noted, despite the promise of new technologies, outdated practices still threaten local ecosystems.
“We may not be getting the whole story,” noted a federal biologist involved in assessing the situation.
The continued discussion about these farming methods demonstrates a community torn on the right path forward for sustainable aquaculture.
Legal Challenges and Industry Response
Even though they operate in B.C., the federal government has issued these companies with temporary licenses to operate floating factories. Thanks to this decision, they can keep operating as they transition away from fossil fuels, all while avoiding mounting public pressure. Several major salmon farming companies are currently pursuing legal action in B.C.’s Supreme Court over prior closures in the Discovery Islands, indicating a contentious climate surrounding aquaculture regulations.
Cermaq Canada continues to assert that it is a leader in responsible innovations in its farming practices. A spokesperson stated, “Cermaq Canada believes in innovating in a responsible and practical manner.” The strange, persistent smell at the Millar Channel facility should have raised eyebrows. Environmental revelations have heightened public interest in the accuracy of these companies’ claims.
Clayoquot Action representatives described concern about odours emerging from the farm. They noted that such odours are typically associated with fish die-offs rather than regular feeding operations:
“We’ve never smelled this during normal feeding operations; only during die-offs.”
