Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction is the territory or sphere of activity over which the legal authority of a court or other institution extends; the official power to make legal decisions and judgments. Alternatively, jurisdiction is the authority given to a legal body or to a political leader to adjudicate and enforce legal matters. The term is also used to denote the geographical area or subject-matter to which such authority applies.

Ultimately, jurisdiction implies responsibility. Complications often arise when there is uncertainty about what ministries or institutions are responsible (have jurisdiction over) a certain issue, or whether there are conflicts of interest.

In relation the fish farming and Aquaculture is BC. The Constitution act gives powers to federal and provincial government. Agriculture is under provincial jurisdiction; fisheries (and protection of fish habitat) is under federal jurisdiction.

This conflict leads to inefficient management of fish farming and Aquaculture in BC. It is obvious that this industry should fall under one jurisdiction in order to achieve sustainable success. The check and balances idea between the federal and provincial government is this case has proven gravely inefficient. Again, it seems this working theme of government inefficiencies on both levels of government has lead to serious implications to the wild fishery and the livelihoods of fishermen and natives alike. The economic bias of both levels of government is the reason for this. The only hope for the BC wild fisheries survival, and the destruction of fish farms, lies with the outcome of many coastal land treaties. Because of the obvious ecological world view of natives, the ecosystem would recover and fish farming be made a thing of the past in BC, or perhaps done offshore as a solution to the environmental implications caused by fish farming today.

A wild salmon fish fry infested with lice from a fish farm.