Martin always worked hard at expanding the economic footprint of Tla-o-qui-aht in the region's economic activity. He recently acquired a 24’ Harbercraft aluminum boat to course the pristine waters of his home, “We do guiding, fishing charters, bear watching and whale watching tours, and tours of Creative Salmon fish farm sites. Farm sites are found on the east side of Meares Island about 20 km out of Tofino.”
Tla-o-qui-aht has a few members working for Creative Salmon, “We have a few community members working on sites. Creative Salmon’s workforce is about 25 percent First Nation and we are working toward 50 percent.” Expanding the number calls for training which is on the job training by and large, said Martin.
“They are not bad paying jobs,” and he noted in summer the workforce increases as students hire on at $15 per hour. Farm sites employ people year-round and employees go in and out from Tofino daily since the locations are not as remote as many of the farm sites on the east site of Vancouver Island, whereas up in Klemtu sites owned by Marine Harvest Canada are distinctly remote.
Tla-o-qui-aht members find employment at Lions Gate Fisheries which operates a fish processing plant in Tofino. Jobs in all facets of the industry are year-round. Meanwhile the tourism industry is beginning to pick up in Tofino and
Martin has the 24’ aluminum touring boat moored at the government dock in Tofino.
“The business of tourism is beginning to pick up and it’s busy in Tofino right now. It has had a bit of a slow start,” and experienced a decline over the winter in what is normally a year- round destination area.
Creative Salmon’s Tim Rundle said the company continues to grow Chinook salmon in the usual fashion to 15 lbs dressed and delivered fresh to market. Creative Salmon like others presently grow the fish in a relatively unsure regulatory market.
“It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s DFO that regulates the fish farm industry or the province, as long as it doesn’t set it back.” The general criticism of netpen fish farming regards escapes, disease, and conditions on the bottom beneath net-pens. Creative Salmon has learned over the years, “The big lesson is we do it low density because if you crowd the fish they don’t get the proper nutrition.”
Laurie Jensen is the Environmental, Licences and Community Relations Manager Mainstream Canada (A Division of Ewos Canada Ltd., which also grows fish in net-pens on the west side of Vancouver Island. “Fish farming is important for producing healthy food for a growing population of the world,” said Laurie.
“Our aim is to produce food in a sustainable way so that our practices do not reduce the potential for future food production based on the same natural resources.” She noted that Mainstream Canada has achieved full certification in the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard for all their BC operations.
