When Pacific Wild, with Maximum Effort, launched the F OFF campaign in 2024—short for F Off Fish Farms—we knew it would stir controversy.
And we knew we had no time to lose.
The federal government had just walked back its 2019 promise to close open-net pen salmon farms by 2025—delaying the phase-out to 2029.
Meanwhile, the salmon farming industry and its supporters were already lobbying hard to overturn the initial commitment.
And now, with each passing month, the cost of inaction becomes more evident: diesel spills, sea lice outbreaks, and unlawful practices are putting ecosystems and wild salmon further at risk.
“The clock is ticking, wild salmon cannot wait another five years,” says Sydney Dixon, Marine Specialist at Pacific Wild. “Industry is pushing to protect profits—not ecosystems. But the science is clear, open-net pen salmon farms threaten wild salmon.”
Across B.C., wild salmon are in serious trouble. Habitat destruction, logging, warming oceans, and industrial development have pushed many salmon runs to the brink. In 2018, Canada’s wildlife committee (COSEWIC) assessed 16 distinct Chinook salmon populations in southern B.C. and designated 13 of them—more than 80%—as Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern.
Today, over 80% of Fraser River Chinook populations are considered endangered. The ripple effects are devastating. Chinook are the primary food source for Southern Resident killer whales, a critically endangered orca population now teetering on the edge of extinction.
Open-net pen salmon farms are floating feedlots that introduce diseases, parasites, and pollution to wild salmon populations. Overcrowded conditions serve as breeding grounds for sea lice and harmful pathogens. Waste, excess feed, and chemicals are flushed directly into nearby waters, degrading surrounding ecosystems.
Most salmon farms operating along B.C.’s coast raise non-native Atlantic salmon in sheltered bays and inlets—areas that may suit industry but put migrating wild salmon at serious risk.
Indigenous Nations have been among the strongest and most consistent voices calling for an end to open-net pen salmon farms. The First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, representing 120 Nations, has made its stance clear: wild salmon must come first.
The F OFF campaign cut straight to the truth: get f***ing open-net pen salmon farms out of B.C.’s waters!
Abandoning Canada’s signature politeness, William Shatner delivered a call-to-profanity that pierced through government denial and industry spin. The campaign’s message was as fierce as the crisis itself—and it unleashed a tidal wave of public awareness.
With over 7 million views, widespread media coverage, and a groundswell of public support, F OFF succeeded in shifting the conversation—and made it impossible to ignore what’s at stake for wild salmon and coastal ecosystems.
“This campaign shattered the norms of conservation communication,” said Karen McAllister, Executive Director of Pacific Wild. “It was radically honest and absolutely necessary. Wild salmon and coastal communities deserve a future free from the damage caused by industrial salmon farms.”
In May, F OFF introduced the issue to a new wave of Canadians—earning national awards at the 2025 Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto ACE Awards.
The prestigious Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards celebrate the year’s top communicators and public relations campaigns across the Greater Toronto Area. They honour excellence in creativity, innovation, and impact across categories ranging from events and media relations to corporate responsibility and digital advocacy.
Thanks to a recommendation from long-time supporter Lance Saunders, Edery and Lord Communications—a powerhouse Canadian team—joined our campaign at the eleventh hour. They worked around the clock to make sure our message reached as many eyes and ears as possible, turning bold strategy and earned media into powerful momentum.
With over 150 campaign entries, Pacific Wild’s F OFF campaign took home an incredible five awards—including two golds and the coveted Best in Show:
🏅 Best in Show
🥇 Gold – Brand Development Campaign of the Year
🥇 Gold – Digital Communications Campaign of the Year
🥈 Silver – Best Use of Media Relations
🥉 Bronze – Best Cause-Related Campaign
“We know awards won’t save wild salmon, but it shows that we’re striking a chord with people,” said Natasha Wehn, Pacific Wild Project Director. “We are changing the conversation. We are pushing back against accepting the status quo.”
This recognition is a testament to the power of collaboration, truth-telling, and risk-taking to defend wild salmon and expose the harms of open-net pen salmon farms.
F OFF proved that bold, unfiltered advocacy can cut through the noise—and mobilize a country to stand up for wild salmon.
And we won’t stop fighting!
Every other region on the Pacific coast—Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California—has already banned or does not have commercial open-net pen salmon farms in operation. British Columbia must not be the exception.
Help us pressure the federal government to keep its promise to remove the farms—because wild salmon cannot wait.
