The
Shellfish Farm News
November 2003
Shellfish
farmers get “Right to Farm”
In
1996 the NDP provincial government enacted the “Right
to Farm Act” to protect land farmers from complaints
related to normal farm practices. These complaints were
increasing in number as former rural areas bordering farmland
in the Fraser Valley were rapidly being developed for housing.
Meanwhile,
a similar parallel situation was occurring in Baynes Sound
for shellfish farmers. Most of the shellfish leases in Baynes
Sound were started in the early to mid- 1900’s and
had undeveloped forest land located above them. For example,
a few decades ago there were only two families living above
the oyster leases on Ship’s Peninsula. In the latter
half of the 1900’s new subdivisions were developed
and hundreds of homes were built on the waterfront. Fortunately,
most new residents came to understand the environmental
benefits and jobs that shellfish farming brings to our communities.
Shellfish
farming was included under the “Right to Farm Act”
in October 2003 and allows shellfish farmers to continue
growing their crops in an environmentally sound manner using
normal farm practices. The Act also protects upland residents
from activities that are not considered normal farm practices.
Overall, inclusion under the Act will help protect environmentally
sensitive shellfish farms and will help preserve the rural
nature of our local communities.
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