Will Jonathan Wilkinson Bring His Bias Against Ocean Salmon Farming to Europe

As Canada promotes seafood exports in Europe, the aquaculture sector is asking whether the new EU ambassador will sell ocean-grown salmon or undermine it abroad.

By Fabian Dawson SeaWestNews Jonathan Wilkinson, one of the Trudeau-era politicians who helped lead the charge to kill ocean salmon farming in British Columbia, is heading to Brussels as Canada’s new ambassador to the European Union. For Canada’s salmon farmers and their European counterparts, that appointment lands with a hard question. Will Wilkinson promote Canadian ocean-grown salmon in the key EU market or carry with him the unscientific bias that helped put B.C.’s salmon farming sector on a deathwatch? While his office did not answer this question directly, Global Affairs Canada told SeaWestNews that Ottawa “recognizes the importance of sustainable aquaculture for the BC and Canadian economies. We will continue to work to support Canada’s exceptional fish and seafood industry.” “Canada is home to the best seafood in the world, exporting over 8 billion dollars’ worth in 2025 to 114 countries. The European Union was Canada’s third largest buyer of Canadian fish and seafood in ...