Since the Cohen Report on the decline of salmon in 2012, it is reported that 18 out of 20 recommendations and deadlines have lapsed without meaningful and transparent government action, including the action of the Department of Ocean and Fisheries (DFO) of revising salmon farm siting criteria to reflect new scientific information. 
A newly published scientific publication shows the occurrence of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) lesions in one of four Atlantic farm salmon farms, while another new publication's results suggest that the piscine reo-virus (PRV) transfer is occurring from farmed Atlantic salmon to wild pacific salmon, and that infection in farmed salmon may be influencing infection rates in wild salmon.

Salmon is a keystone species on the West Coast and has a vast impact on our coastal ecosystems, including a variety of organisms in freshwater, terrestrial ecosystems, including wildlife such as bears, river otters, ringed kingfishers, wolves, bald eagles, whales and harbour seals. Various interest groups, biologists and activists in BC have already provided extensive research and necessary detailed action plans to protect our wild Pacific salmon, including the immediate end to any salmon farm tenures and the removal of open ocean farms from our coast.

As a citizen of British Columbia, I am asking both the federal and provincial government to take IMMEDIATE action to the above requests and implementation of the Cohen report recommendations to protect and to prevent the further spread of HSMI and PRV in our wild pacific salmon. These actions must occur to ensure we have a productive, healthy ecosystem and ocean that includes wild pacific salmon for future generations.

Various references:
- http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/deadly-disease-diagnosed-in-b-c-salmon
- https://vimeo.com/238445419
- http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0171471
-http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0188793