Aquaculture farm threatens wild salmon Canada

In accordance with Canada’s Environment Assessment Act, the Atlantic Salmon Federation  (ASF) has registered with Transport Canada its opposition to allowing the introduction into St. Mary’s Bay of sea cages that will contain one million salmon. “Our concern is focused on the risk that aquaculture in this area would impose on endangered wild Atlantic salmon populations," said Lewis Hinks, Director of Nova Scotia Programs for ASF.

The report also confirmed the endangered status of Inner Bay of Fundy (IBoF) salmon populations, which were listed in 2003. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) cites the “negative effects of interbreeding or ecological interactions with escaped domestic salmon from fish farms” as being key threats to endangered wild salmon populations.

Research indicates that escaped farmed salmon do enter rivers and spawn with wild salmon, which results in the progeny being less able to undertake and survive the rigors of migration, which could contribute to the loss of wild runs,” said Jonathan Carr, ASF’s Director of Research and the Environment. “The aquaculture industry recently reported an escape of 33,000 farmed salmon from a cage site off Grand Manan, which is located in New Brunswick directly across from St. Mary’s Bay," continued Hinks. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.