From Trench Warfare to Dialogue: Marine Harvest in British Columbia

The communications director of Marine Harvest Jørgen Christiansen focuses on how the company shifted from adversarial stakeholder relations to dialogue-based engagement. Marine Harvest operates in 21 countries and adheres to the principles of financial stability, product quality, environmental sustainability, and job security. Early salmon farming relied on government-led consultation with First Nations, fostering distrust and conflict. However, he describes improvements since 2004, including collaborative research on clam beds and sea lice. He alludes to the importance of ongoing dialogue and transparency to balance industry operations with community and environmental needs, aiming to avoid the polarized “trench warfare” of the past.