Pesticides from salmon farms have poisoned Scottish lochs, reports the Herald Scotland.
Twelve farms breached safety limits for pesticides, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) which gathered data from 24 farms over a three-year period.
The worst site was near a Marine Harvest farm in Loch Shell on the east of Lewis where levels of a pesticide called teflubenzuron were up to 455 times higher than Sepa's environmental quality standards in 2012. Sepa is now reviewing the operating licence for the Loch Shell fish farm with a view to imposing restrictions on the volume of pesticides, and the mass of salmon that can be kept in cages.
Read more...
New Zealand government funding for a research project designed to improve aquaculture has attracted criticism from from the Green Party. The Salmon Improvement Group, which is made up industry players, is due to receive $600,000 to investigate skeletal deformities in farmed salmon.
Steffan Browning, Green Party MP, argues that the main beneficiaries of the money will be the existing aquaculture industry. One of the members of the Salmon Improvement Group is the Tiong family of Malaysia, who are extensively involved in rainforest milling in Asia. The family also owns a 53 percent stake in King Salmon New Zealand, which dominates the New Zealand salmon industry.
Browning has also raised concerns about overseas companies receiving a taxpayer money tackle aquaculture problems. "Overseas companies shouldn't receive a taxpayer handout to solve the problems caused by their unsustainable intensive fish farming methods," Browning said.
The government has responded by saying that the funding is for a project and not a specific commercial entity.
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In the past we have reported on invasive species hitching rides on debris from the Japanese tsunami, today we learn that the cargo ships are also being used as public transport for marine life.
A report published in the Ecology Journal Letter identifies Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Panama and Suez canals as hotspots for species invasion. Cooler climates like the North Sea are less likely to be troubled, unless ships come from similar waters such as the east coast of the US.
Scientists from the UK and Germany have developed a model that might help curb these unwanted visitors. Using information from over 3 million journeys from 2007-2008, the model
combines information such as shipping routes, ship sizes, temperatures and biogeography to come up with local forecasts of invasion probabilities.
The full report available for download here but the BBC has published a succinct overview here.
Twelve farms breached safety limits for pesticides, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) which gathered data from 24 farms over a three-year period.
The worst site was near a Marine Harvest farm in Loch Shell on the east of Lewis where levels of a pesticide called teflubenzuron were up to 455 times higher than Sepa's environmental quality standards in 2012. Sepa is now reviewing the operating licence for the Loch Shell fish farm with a view to imposing restrictions on the volume of pesticides, and the mass of salmon that can be kept in cages.
Read more...
New Zealand government funding for a research project designed to improve aquaculture has attracted criticism from from the Green Party. The Salmon Improvement Group, which is made up industry players, is due to receive $600,000 to investigate skeletal deformities in farmed salmon.
Steffan Browning, Green Party MP, argues that the main beneficiaries of the money will be the existing aquaculture industry. One of the members of the Salmon Improvement Group is the Tiong family of Malaysia, who are extensively involved in rainforest milling in Asia. The family also owns a 53 percent stake in King Salmon New Zealand, which dominates the New Zealand salmon industry.
Browning has also raised concerns about overseas companies receiving a taxpayer money tackle aquaculture problems. "Overseas companies shouldn't receive a taxpayer handout to solve the problems caused by their unsustainable intensive fish farming methods," Browning said.
The government has responded by saying that the funding is for a project and not a specific commercial entity.
Read more...
In the past we have reported on invasive species hitching rides on debris from the Japanese tsunami, today we learn that the cargo ships are also being used as public transport for marine life.
A report published in the Ecology Journal Letter identifies Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Panama and Suez canals as hotspots for species invasion. Cooler climates like the North Sea are less likely to be troubled, unless ships come from similar waters such as the east coast of the US.
Scientists from the UK and Germany have developed a model that might help curb these unwanted visitors. Using information from over 3 million journeys from 2007-2008, the model
combines information such as shipping routes, ship sizes, temperatures and biogeography to come up with local forecasts of invasion probabilities.
The full report available for download here but the BBC has published a succinct overview here.
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| English: Eilean Liubhaird This Island in Loch Shell is so called after Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Edward's Island. Srianach Head prominent to left of frame. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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