Eco-activists Wild First claim controversial statement was allowed to remain following minor tweak.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) efforts to challenge the airing of what it deems “sensationalist” and inaccurate anti-fish farming ads on the radio have been met with mixed results.
Last week, SalmonBusiness reported the news that BSCFA had successfully stopped the running of the ads on Pattison Media-owned radio stations.
But now it is clear this effort has only resulted in a partial victory, as other stations, including those owned by Rogers and Corus, continue to run the ads, and Pattison Media has since reinstated a modified version of the ad, according to a representative of Wild First, the activist organization that paid for the campaign.
The controversial ads from Wild First claim that wild Pacific salmon are “on the brink of extinction,” a statement the BSCFA contests. This claim was allowed to remain when the modified ad returned to the airwaves on Pattison Media channels.
Research and peer-reviewed studies have indicated a record-high abundance of wild Pacific salmon, countering the claims made in the advertisement, according to a release from BCSFA on Thursday.
This incident is part of a broader battle between the salmon farming industry and anti-fish farm activists. In response to the spread of misinformation, the salmon farming industry has increased its efforts in fact-checking and challenging false claims.
Previously, in August 2023, the BCSFA managed to have a segment removed from CTV News, citing inaccuracies in an interview with an anti-fish farming campaigner. Similarly, in December 2023, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) succeeded in removing billboards with claims about bans on open net salmon farms in several US states, which CAIA argued were not factually accurate.
SalmonBusiness has contacted Pattison Media for comment.
