Response wasn't complete
By Ian Roberts, Courier-Islander May 17, 2013
It is unfortunate that Alexandra Morton's response to my serious concerns about errors and omissions in her documentary film about salmon farming only questions my ethics and principles ("Tools of the trade", May 8). I would have hoped that a response would have answered my specific concerns.
Again, my concerns about Morton's documentary are; it seriously doctors the court testimony of a key witness at the Cohen Inquiry; it purposely hides the final fish health lab report that confirms a fish disease to be negative (that is, no disease); it omits to tell the whole story about how Harrison sockeye migrate from the Fraser River. Many other errors are discussed at www.salmonconfidential.com. These errors are very, very significant and an unsuspecting audience should know they are watching a documentary that is not just biased, but fictional.
Yes, Ms. Morton, I do work for salmon farming company Marine Harvest - as my letter clearly stated. I am a College graduate of aquaculture and I have been farming salmon in British Columbia for over 20 years - much of that time helping First Nation partners build their capacity for salmon aquaculture. My depth of knowledge about salmon aquaculture enables me to speak on the topic, which includes recognizing your errors and correcting them. Unfortunately, these corrections and clarifications have become a full-time job lately.
I am very comfortable with my moral principles. These principles apply to how I live my life and the way I communicate my career - and would extend to documentary film making, should I ever produce one.
Ian Roberts Marine Harvest Canada
Letter Tiimeline - Ian Roberts responded to the following:
Tools of the trade
Alexandra Morton, Courier Islander, May 7, 2013
In regarding to the Ian Roberts letter on the film Salmon Confidential.
Ian Roberts works for Marine Harvest in "communications and media" and so it's his job to refute the film sweeping across North America revealing his industry and its government handlers in a bad light.
But when Roberts suggests the $26 million Cohen Commission gave salmon farms a clean bill of health, that is not accurate.
Cohen recommendation #14 was that licences to farm salmon in BC be one year in duration only.
This is a crippling blow to an industry that requires over a year to grow a single generation of farm salmon. The industry is complaining bitterly about this very tight restraint, because it means their licence could be pulled mid-cycle to protect wild salmon.
Then in recommendation #19 Cohen gives DFO a time limit to provide convincing evidence that salmon farms have less than minimal impact on wild salmon or they should cease to operate in the narrows off Campbell River. Cohen is clearly very concerned and has provided tools that a responsible government could pick up to protect the legacy, economy and ecology of BC from this 98% Norwegian industry that has never co-existed with wild salmon anywhere in the world. Hopefully, BC will elect a government who will take up these tools and use them to the benefit of all British Columbians present and future.
PAA Note: As noted above, Alexandra Morton is working at creating another story line by misquoting the Recomendation #18 Cohen Commission as "less than minimal impact"
The actual recommendation reads: "18 If at any time between now and September 30,2020, the minister of fisheries and oceans determines that net-pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2) pose more than a minimal risk of serious harm to the health of migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon, he or she should promptly order that those salmon farms cease operations."
She has admitted she is wrong to say "less than minimal" on a recent fishing forum: "Alexandra Morton: Yes, good point, my mistake - if the feedlots have more than minimal impact they will have to be removed from the Discovery islands by 2020"
But continues on with her nonsensical, dishonest "less than minimal" story telling.
Ian's Letter:
Alexandra Morton repeats her completely fictional story
Ian Roberts, Courier-Islander, April 19, 2013
Re: "Want to see wild salmon?" (April 17 Courier-Islander)
I would never stop anyone from seeing a movie they might enjoy.
So, if Colleen Campbell and her friends really want to watch a locally produced documentary called Salmon Confidential, then please do. Bring popcorn.
But for the majority of the population, who have retained their ability to think critically, it's fair that they know some important facts about this film.
Salmon Confidential has been produced for a reason; because the story line in this movie failed to impress experts at the Cohen Inquiry into the Fraser River Sockeye. In fact, after hearing witness testimony from the main actor, Alexandra Morton, Judge Bruce Cohen concluded that the "data presented during this Inquiry did not show that salmon farms were having a significant negative impact on Fraser River sockeye" (Final Report, Volume 3, p. 24, column 2).
This conclusion - from a two-year, $26 million scientific Inquiry and the expert testimony of numerous fish health professionals and biologists - did not sit well with Alexandra Morton.
So, her story is repeated again in this one hour movie. The difference this time is; her story goes unchallenged. Add some dubious editing, testimony manipulation, character assassination, misrepresented lab reports and omission of vital facts about salmon migration and fish health, and you have a very compelling yet completely fictional story.
I would never stop anyone from seeing a movie they might enjoy. But just like our grandparents when hearing War of the Worlds for the first time - we should be forewarned that it's fiction.
If you want to learn more about the errors and false claims made in this documentary, please visit Salmon Confidential Exposed at SalmonConfidential.com.
Ian Roberts Marine Harvest Canada Campbell River
