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NEWS RELEASE
Northwest delegation presents fish farm poll to Minister Bell

March 28, 2007 (Smithers, BC) - Yesterday in Victoria, a delegation from Northwest B.C. presented a new public opinion poll on fish farms to Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell. It shows opposition to fish farms is as strong as ever amongst Northwest B.C. residents, who are increasingly aware of the issue.

Commissioned by the Northwest Institute and conducted by the firm Synovate, the poll replicates a 2005 McAllister Research poll.

“This poll clearly shows that opposition to fish farms near the mouth of the Skeena is not going away, and that this issue will have a strong bearing on the 2009 provincial election in these ridings,” said Pat Moss with Northwest Institute.

The poll is based on telephone interviews with 600 residents living in the provincial electoral ridings of North Coast, Skeena and Bulkley Valley-Stikine. The following were among its findings:

• Eight-in-ten Northwest B.C. residents are aware of salmon aquaculture.
• The majority of Northwest B.C. residents (71%) are opposed to open-net salmon farms on the North Coast, including 57% who are vehemently opposed.
• Overall awareness of the proposed salmon farms has increased over the past two years from 38% to 49%.
• Significantly more residents now believe salmon farming will have a negative impact on their community compared to two years ago (57% versus 49% in 2005).
• 72% of all Northwest B.C. residents and 75% of those in the North Coast riding say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who endorses the farms.

The margins of error at the 95% confidence level associated with this poll are +/-4% for the total sample of 600.

Contact:
Pat Moss, Northwest Institute: (250) 877-9745
Full poll results