A typical fish farm consists of huge pens made of steel and nylon mesh, set just off the coast in our natural environment. |
Fish Farm Dangers
Wild salmon are natural marvels capable of making the arduous journey from the ocean back to the exact river of their birth to spawn, or reproduce. This magnificent journey is the source of inspiration that has made salmon a Northwest icon. Fish that have been bred to grow quickly in a pen are not the same as wild salmon. Farmed fish are a threat to natural ecosystems, wild salmon, and human health. Some of the risks associated with fish farms include: • higher concentrations of pollution from fish sewage, antibiotics, and other drugs; • disease transfer to wild fish; and • higher fat content and lower nutritional value. Salmon on the market are increasingly being supplied from salmon farms instead of commercial wild fisheries. A typical fish farm consists of huge pens made of steel and nylon mesh, set just off the coast in our natural environment. The numbers of escaped farmed salmon around the world are astounding. Getting accurate counts is extremely difficult or impossible because many escapes go unreported for various reasons, including "commercial confidentiality." In some rivers, escaped fish can greatly outnumber native fish. Ten years ago, Norway had between 2 million to 4 million farm salmon escapes from net pens in one year. Genetically engineered fish, after being developed in the laboratory, will be raised in fish farms. Given past experience with farmed fish, we know that escapes are inevitable. In addition, we have learned that cross-pollination between GE and non-GE crops occurs. Genetically engineered fish combine fish farms and GE foods. Put the two of them together, add up the dangers associated with both of them, and you have one huge threat -- Frankenfish. Fish are more mobile than plants, and are able to move farther and invade more area, likely resulting in more damage. It is important to note that the ratio of wild fish needed to feed farmed fish is 4:1. It takes about four pounds of wild fish to produce one pound of farmed salmon. Farmed salmon are not the answer to feeding the hungry. Instead, they are helping to deplete already threatened populations of fish around the world. Washington State More than 1 million Atlantic salmon have escaped into the waters of Puget Sound in the last 10 years. Considered by many as a biological pollutant, these fish have been found as far away as the Bering Sea off Alaska. Some Reported Escapes: Year # of escaped fish 1996 107,000 1997 369,000 1998 22,639 1999 300,000 Wild Atlantic salmon were listed as an endangered species in 2000 on eight Maine rivers and tributaries. The possible escape of farm-raised salmon was one factor in the federal government’s decision to list the fish. Some Reported Escapes: Year # of escaped fish 2000 100,000 (from one farm) 2001 5,000 (from one farm) British Columbia Between 1991 and 1999, more than 345,000 farmed Atlantic salmon escaped from B.C. salmon farms. In August, 2000, more than 32,000 Atlantic salmon escaped from a single fish farm. Recorded escapes only account for losses of significant economic value. Total escape, including chronic "leakage" of smaller fish that is not reported, could exceed 100,000 fish annually. Some Reported Escapes: Year # of escaped fish 1994 64,229 1995 16,494 In Scotland, farmed Atlantic salmon escapes reportedly outnumber catches of wild Atlantic salmon by more than four to one. Some Reported Escapes: Year # of escaped fish 1998 95,000 1999 255,000 2000 395,000 Sources: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Maine Atlantic Salmon Authority, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Atlantic Salmon Federation - Maine Office, NASCO (North American Salmon Conservation Organization), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, University of Victoria. |
