The federal government is standing by its decision not to renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms in British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 Discovery Islands, despite recent court challenges.

A statement from the office of Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray says her decision last month against renewing the licences for the farms off Vancouver Island near Campbell River was difficult but necessary.

The statement says recent science suggests uncertainty about risks posed to wild salmon by the areaB次元官网网址檚 farms and the federal government is taking a precautionary approach to help ensure the well-being of threatened species.

Mowi Canada West, one of several companies operating farms in the Discovery Islands, is seeking a judicial review of MurrayB次元官网网址檚 decision.

MowiB次元官网网址檚 application filed this week in Federal Court in Vancouver seeks an order quashing or setting aside the decision and a declaration that MurrayB次元官网网址檚 determination was B次元官网网址渦nreasonable, invalid and unlawful.B次元官网网址�

It says the company has been operating in the Campbell River area for 30 years and is highly involved in the coastal communities and has business agreements with 10 First Nations and 10 Indigenous-owned companies.

The application says the companyB次元官网网址檚 workforce has been reduced from 645 employees to 312 and the B次元官网网址渄ecision only deepens the harms to MowiB次元官网网址檚 business, Indigenous self-governance and the economy of coastal B.C.B次元官网网址�

The farms off B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coast have been a major flashpoint, with environmental groups and some Indigenous nations saying the farms are linked to disease that transfers to wild salmon, while the industry, local politicians and other First Nations say they are safe and the closures threaten thousands of jobs.

A Campbell River-area First Nation issued an open letter to its membership this week explaining its decision to also challenge MurrayB次元官网网址檚 decision in Federal Court.

B次元官网网址淭o be clear, this challenge is not about our support or opposition to fish farming,B次元官网网址� Chief Councillor Chickite said. B次元官网网址淥ur challenge makes it clear that we have not defined our position on salmon farming in our waters. This is about our right as titleholders to make decisions about how our territory is used.B次元官网网址�

The Fisheries Ministry statement says it will not comment further now that the matter is before the courts.