Salmon Farms in the PNW

[ahnutts!]

There was a recent documentary on CBC radio called Saving Salmon, in which biologist Alexandra Morton talked about the effects of Salmon farms on wild salmon populations. The show is not available on podcast but you can find her blog herealexandra morton

I think this issue effects too many of us to be ignored. Even if you live far away from these farms you may want to do a little research and decide if you want to eat this stuff.

I hope this isn't too political for this site, and I bring it up only because I believe these farms may be severely damaging the waters many on this forum call home.

[jyoung]

I don't entirely disagree! the problem is alot of people eat farm raised salmon because of the lower mercury levels and the cost. i do think it is good to let the ocean supplies gain a bit rather than deplete them as we have done on many levels of species around the coasts. salmon fishing is a way of life for many people but as the population keeps expanding so does the demand for food. there is no way the ocean could survive long as a solo provider in todays world. that being said, i much prefer wild caught, so much tastier.

[LakeSuperior]

So tell us what the difference is between farming on land and in the sea?? Think genetic engineering, chemical fertilizers, and herbicides here. What impact have domestic plant and animimal stocks had on the indigenous flora and fauna??

Me thinks your forgetting precedents that allow ~7 billion people to exist at the same time on the planet.

[jyoung]

I thoroughly agree, i'm just saying that by farming we can ensure conservation of our natural resources.

[Lancerbye]

I spend a lot of time cruising areas that have fish farms. Many years ago before the fish farms started on the west coast I remember watching a documentry put on by a scientific group from Norway. At the time a scientist from that community warn us against persuing fish farming, because of what had happened in Norway. No one listened. Now we have large bays, that used to be good anchorages filled with fish farms. The wild stock of west coast salmon being threatened because escapees of Atlantic salmon from the farms starting to establish themselves in some creeks and rivers. The dog food fed salmon causing health problems. Did we really need these farms.

[Bash]

It's a shame that Doctor Morton has allowed activist rhetoric to taint her work. The first question she puts to members of parliament is: "Would you stake your reputation that these Norwegian aquaculture companies are not releasing foreign viruses into BC?" Using "foreign" to modify "viruses" is more a scare tactic than anything. Any biologist should know that viruses tend not to be endemic to national boundaries. This ends up being an appeal to Xenophobia, which I would hope has no place in scientific discourse. Beyond that, why does this question invite politicians to stake their reputations on the answer? How differently the answer might be if she asked, "Are you concerned about the spread of viruses via salmon aquaculture practices?" If we look how, instead, she has chosen to phrase the question, it's hard not to conclude that Doctor Morton has opted to employ the tactics of the bully.

[jyoung]

wouldn't bother me at all to do away with the fish farms, but look what the vietnamese did to the shrimping industry in the gulf..if the market is not subsidised by alternate resources then those with the ferver of money over the need to conserve, then all our waters would be over fished in a few short years. farms my not be condusive to the environment but i guess it's a matter of the lessor of two evils, ( or is that to weevils)

[nwsailor]

I think the viruses she was referring to were believed to be imported from Norway via fish eggs so they were "foreign".

[ahnutts!]

Originally Posted by Bash

It's a shame that Doctor Morton has allowed activist rhetoric to taint her work. The first question she puts to members of parliament is: "Would you stake your reputation that these Norwegian aquaculture companies are not releasing foreign viruses into BC?" Using "foreign" to modify "viruses" is more a scare tactic than anything. Any biologist should know that viruses tend not to be endemic to national boundaries. This ends up being an appeal to Xenophobia, which I would hope has no place in scientific discourse. Beyond that, why does this question invite politicians to stake their reputations on the answer? How differently the answer might be if she asked, "Are you concerned about the spread of viruses via salmon aquaculture practices?" If we look how, instead, she has chosen to phrase the question, it's hard not to conclude that Doctor Morton has opted to employ the tactics of the bully.

The problem is judging by the East coast cod fishery we can't trust what DFO tells us, so we need to assume that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
We know that industry tends to employ the least expensive method available, so it seems likely there's a better way of doing it. Perhaps these guys are on the right track.Middle Bay

[bangkaboat]

The farmed fish stocks in B.C. have proven to be a disaster for the wild stocks. As locals will note, the Fraser River was somewhat of an anomally this past season & is an exception to the state of the fisheries along the coast & intercoastalway. Both commercial & sport fishing industries, as well as the suppliers to these industries, have suffered greatly. Having lived in Taiwan, where much fish/crab/shrimp/etc. farming is land-based, and observed the industry as it is operated, I believe that we would be better off in Canada without in-water pens. Sadly, I believe that the Philippines is heading toward making the same mistake that B.C. made. I intend to bend every ear I can to the consideration of ensuring that farming in The RP is land-based. Unfortunately, limited capital investment makes in-water farming very attractive to those who place earning a buck over the consideration of environmental damage.