Three
years ago I knew little about global farming of Atlantic salmon. I thought the
story was: jobs, revenue and feeding a hungry world. Then I read a Science
journal article dated January 9, 2004 by Hites et al from Albany University of
New York. It detailed the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), PCBs, dioxins
and other chemicals found in farmed salmon, and that cause, among other things,
cancer.
Then
I read an article by David Miller of Bath University, UK on how the fish farm
industry had systematically attacked the article’s, and scientists’ credibility
and ultimately ‘proven’ that Scotland’s farmed salmon were sustainable and
organic. The problem was that Miler’s article read like a Hollywood thriller: https://www.academia.edu/2939514/Spinning_farmed_salmon.
Since
reading it I have questioned everything fish farms say. Marine Harvest, Cermaq,
Grieg Seafood, 90% of the BC industry, are all from Norway. I realized the
threat their diseases pose to wild Pacific salmonids, and that BC is the first
place where contact with the Pacific species has happened. The obvious
solution: putting fish farms on land, has been persistently refused by the
global Norwegian companies, Marine Harvest in 22 countries, for example.
To
do my small part in standing for wild Pacific salmon, I started the blog: www.fishfarmnews.blogspot.com.
I had no idea it would become a global success, and, without any advertising,
or anything other than putting up text, I have been stunned it has received
85,000 page views, with an acceleration to another 50,000 in the next year likely.
To my surprise, I have received email from all continents. Recently a newspaper
in Tasmania asked me for advice on how to deal with the industry moving there.
I
have just placed all posts in an index so anyone interested has reference to
all posts in one place. I go back and update posts, so even ones from three
years ago can contain new information. Without doubt the post on the 69 Closed-Containment,
On-land fish Farm Systems I have found around the world, and that comprise more
than 8,000 actual farms, is far and away the most viewed post on the site. The
world wants fish farms out of the ocean.
The
purpose of the blog is to put up links to the science so anyone can read it and
form their own opinions. I have read 20,000 pages of fish farm environmental
damage science in the past three years, and often read 100 pages of fish farm
news each week. There are times when my forecasts of global farmed fish prices
and shares is more accurate than the brokers in Oslo and New York who get paid
to do what I do for free.
Any
reader who wants to look into, say, the science of on-land, closed,
recirculating fish farms can get there from links on the site. One link is to a
symposium held in Shepherdstown, Virginia in Sept 2013. There are more than 50
presentations at this link and will keep you reading for days. They are
fascinating: http://tidescanada.org/salmon/aquaculture-innovation-workshops-and-reports/.
Of
great humour, Marine Harvest, Cermaq (now Mitsubishi?) and Grieg Seafood, who
are unwilling to give their real names in my list of followers, follow my site
closely and obviously read everything the second I post it; this is because almost
12,000 page views are from Norway; 1 in 7.
Currently
DFO is rewriting the aquaculture laws to allow fish farms to release anything
they want from their farms into our oceans: chemicals, anti-fouling, diseases
and sewage. My estimate of the last item is $10.4 Billion that we, taxpayers,
in essence pay for. While this is bad, the BC industry could well be toast as
its own parents companies in Norway successfully lobbied for the USA to remove
a 26% tariff on their products – the US is the only real market of BC farmed
fish, as in 85%, because Canadians won’t eat it. Chile, just back from the
brink in 2008, losing a quarter of a billion fish to ISA disease, is at peak
production and it goes into the States, too. In addition, Marine Harvest
recently floated a bond in New York, and will be setting up in the USA soon. In
other words, the BC industry may well be sacrificed by its own parent companies.
Not a legal issue, simply economics.
Here
is the link to the index:
In
closing, Hites et al have gone on to publish several articles over the
intervening decade about the chemical pollutants in farmed fish. And the big
story in Norway the past year is their scientists and doctors telling consumers
not to eat farmed salmon because of the health issues to do with eating those
chemicals.
2014 Posts
*Atlantic/Wild Pacific Salmon Crosses – eggs and milt.
http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/10/atlanticwild-pacific-salmon-crosses.html.
*$93 Million for Diseased Dead Fish: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/09/93-million-for-diseased-fish.html. Taxpayer money paid to fish farms for diseased, dead fish.
*$93 Million for Diseased Dead Fish: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/09/93-million-for-diseased-fish.html. Taxpayer money paid to fish farms for diseased, dead fish.
*Conflict
of Interest Continues, DFO back Farmed Salmon, Not Wild Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/09/conflict-of-interest-continues-dfo.html.
*Fish Sales Fraud in Europe and the
United States: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/09/fish-sales-fraud-in-europe-and-usa.html.
*Key
Document – More Fat In Farmed Salmon than in Pizza: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/09/key-document-more-fat-in-farmed-salmon.html.
*Sprinting Fraser Sockeye Die – New
Research: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/08/sprinting-fraser-sockeye-die-new.html.
*Escaped Farmed Salmon/Trout in Norway: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/08/escaped-farmed-salmontrout-in-norway.html.
*Global Fish Farm Environmental
Degradation – The Third World: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/08/global-fish-farm-environmental.html.
*NZ Talley Says Only Future for Farmed
Fish is On-land: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/08/nz-tally-says-only-future-for-farmed.html.
*ISA in Canada – 2013, 2014: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/07/isa-in-canada-2013-2014.html.
*New Aquaculture Regulations in Canada –
Very Sad for Wild Pacific Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/07/new-aquaculture-regulations-in-canada.html.
*Key Document – Kuterra – Land Based
Farmed Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/06/kuterra-land-based-farmed-salmon.html.
*DFO and Nancy Greene Want Fish Farms in
BC? We Don’t Want Them In Our Ocean: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/06/dfo-and-nancy-greene-fish-farms-in-bc.html.
*Consumers Will Only Buy
Closed-Containment Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/06/consumers-will-only-buy-closed.html.
*Weakening the ‘Strictest’ Fish Farm
Laws in the World: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/05/weakenng-strictest-fish-farm-laws-in.html.
*ISA – New Infections – Norway, Chile: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/05/isa-new-infections-norway-chile.html.
*Nancy Greene Raine and Federal Senators
– Please Support Wild BC Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/05/nancy-greene-raine-and-federal-senators.html.
*Nancy Greene Raine – Wants Fish Farms?
What About Wild BC Salmon?: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/04/nancy-greene-raine-fish-farms-what.html.
*Fish Farm Sewage – DFO Expansions Cost
You Money: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/03/fish-farm-sewage-dfo-expansions-cost.html.
*Fish Farm Sewage – Causes Algal Blooms:
http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/02/fish-farm-sewage-staggering-cause-algal.html.
*Key
Document
– Taxpayer Money For Diseased Dead Fish:
*Fish Farm Diseases – ISA in Norway and
Etc.: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/02/fish-farm-diseases-isa-in-norway-and-etc.html.
*Key
Document
– Taxpayer Money for Diseased Dead Fish: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/02/key-document-taxpayer-money-for.html.
*ISA Confirmation: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/01/isa-confirmation.html.
*Key
Document:
Slaughter Payments to Fish Farms: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2014/01/dey-document-slaughter-payments-to-fish.html.
2013 Posts
*Most
Stringent Fish Farm Laws in the World – Not: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/most-stringent-fish-farm-laws-in-world.html.
*Sea
Lice Kill 34% of Wild Salmon Smolts – Ireland – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/sea-lice-kill-34-of-wild-salmon-smolts.html.
*Chile:
Millions of Escaped Farmed Salmon – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/chile-millions-of-escaped-farmed-salmon.html.
*Harper
Government Dismantling Canadian Government Science Resources – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/harper-government-dismantling-canadian.html.
*Key Document – Cohen Commission
Website, Updated on ISA, Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/key-document-cohen-commission-website.html.
*DFO
Aquaculture Licencing: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/dfo-aquaculture-licencing-posted.html.
*Mainstream
– Slaughtered Fish Money, Clayoquot Sound – Updated – Davie Miller Articles: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/12/mainstream-slaughtered-fish-money.html.
*Fish
Farm Companies Make Taxpayer Money from Diseased Fish – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/11/fish-farm-companies-make-taxpayer-money.html.
*Key Document – Land-Based Closed-Containment Fish Farm
Science – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/11/key-document-land-based-closed.html.
*IPN –
Fish Farms Cause Disease: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/10/ipn-fish-farms-cause-disease-oct-31-2013.html.
*Cohen
Commission – One Year Later: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/10/cohen-commission-report-one-year-later.html.
*65
On-land Fish Farm Systems: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/10/65-on-land-fish-farm-systems-oct-20-2013.html.
*Cermaq
Mainstream Owned by Norwegian Public – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/09/cermaq-mainstream-owned-by-norwegian.html.
*Critique:
Mary Ellen Walling Letter to Victoria Times – Kibenge: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/08/critique-mary-ellen-walling-letter-to.html.
*Key Document – Slaughtered, Diseased Fish Farm Salmon
Compensation with Taxpayer Dollars: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/06/key-document-slaughtered-diseased-fish.html.
*Norwegians Won’t Eat Farmed Salmon – that Means Marine Harvest, Cermaq Mainstream, *Grieg Seafood and Others: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/06/norwegians-wont-eat-farmed-salmon-that.html.
*CFIA
Can’t Find Disease – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/06/cfia-cant-find-disease-updated-jume-18.html.
*Fish
Farm Salmon High in Toxic Chemicals: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/06/fish-farm-salmon-high-in-toxic-chemicals.html.
*Morton
and Eco-Justice Taking DFO to Court Marine Harvest to Court Over PRV
Transferred To the Pacific Ocean: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/05/morton-and-ecojustice-take-keith.html.
*64
On-land Fish Farm Systems, Comprising more than 8,100 On-land Fish Farms Around
the World – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/04/63-on-land-fish-farm-systems-comprising.html.
*ISA
in BC Salmon – DFO States the Opposite of the Truth: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/04/isa-in-bc-salmon-dfo-states-opposite-of.html.
*Salmon
Confidential – Debunking Fish Farm Claims: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/03/salmon-confidential-debunking-fish-farm.html.
*Global
Fish Farm Diseases – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/03/global-fish-farm-diseases-mar-3-2013.html.
*Key
Document - Sport Fishing – How We Stack Up - Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/02/sport-fishing-how-we-tack-up-feb-6-2013.html.
*Fish Farms Kill More Than 50% of Wild
Salmon – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2013/01/fish-farms-kill-more-than-50-of-wild.html.
2012 Posts
*Key
Document -
DFO Refuses to Admit ISA Virus in BC Wild Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/12/dfo-refuses-to-admit-isa-virus-is-in-bc.html.
*Move Fish Farms out of Clayoquot Sound
to Save Wild Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/11/move-fish-farms-out-of-clayoquot-sound.html.
*Cohen Commission Report Released: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/10/cohen-commission-report-released-oct-31.html.
*Salmon Farm Activist Acquitted of
Defamation: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/10/salmon-farm-activist-acquitted-of.html.
*Don Staniford Acquitted of Defaming
Mainstream Canada: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/09/don-staniford-acquitted-of-defaming.html.
*Fish Farms Kill Seals and Sea Lions
Around the World: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/09/fish-farms-kill-seals-and-sea-lions.html.
*Key
Document
– Fish Farms Damage Ocean Bottoms: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/key-document-fish-farms-damage-ocean.html.
*Key
Document
– Fish Farm Diseases that Infect Humans: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/key-document-farmed-salmon-diseases.html.
*BAP Awards Not Awards – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/bap-awards-not-awards-july-4-2012.html.
*“Red Alert” – Elena Edwards Note to
DFO: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/red-alert-elena-edwards-note-to-dfo.html.
*Key
Document:
BC Conservative Members Who Voted Against Wild BC Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/06/key-document-bc-conservative-members_23.html.
*GAPI Report – Aquaculture Awards Not
Environmentally Justifiable: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/06/gapi-report-aquaculture-awards-not.html.
*IHN in BC Salmon Farms – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/05/ihn-in-bc-salmon-farms-updated-may-27.html.
*Key Links: Fish Farm Share Prices and
Financial Information – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/05/key-links-fish-farm-share-prices-and.html.
*Fish Farms Infect Wild BC Salmon -
Kibenge: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/05/fish-farms-infect-wild-bc-salmon-may-13.html.
*Harper’s EU Trade Agreement: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/harpers-eu-trade-agreement.html.
*Norway – Wild Salmon Numbers: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/norway-wild-salmon-numbers.html.
*CFIA – Double Standard on ISA: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/cfia-double-standard-on-isa.html.
*Key
Document
– Low Dose Hormones Lead to Worse Health Problems: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/key-document-low-dose-hormones-lead-to.html.
*Lice in Norway/LICE in BC: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/lice-in-norwaylice-in-bc-april-13-2012.html.
*More ISA in BC: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/04/more-i.html.
*Google: Consumers Don’t Buy Farmed
Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/google-consumers-dont-buy-farmed-salmon.html.
*Key
Document:
Agrimarine Losses – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/key-document-agrimarine-losses.html.
*Key
Document
– Farmed Fish Prices Will Tank in 2012 – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/key-document-farmed-fish-prices-will.html.
*Key Document – EU Welfare Platform: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/03/key-document-eu-welfare-platform-mar-17.html.
*Key Document: CFIA Testing of ISA in
BC: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/02/key-document-cfia-testing-of-isa-in-bc.html.
*2012 In Review – Chile and Norway at
Odds: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/02/2012-in-review-chile-and-norway-at-odds.html.
*Key Document: Royal Society of Canada –
DFO Failing Canada’s Oceans: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/02/key-document-royal-society-of-canada.html.
*Critique of Fish Farm Advertisement in:
http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/02/go-look-at-fish-farm-advertisement-that.html.
*HSMI – A New Viral Infection of Farmed
Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/02/hsmi.html.
*Key
Document
– 69 Mostly On-land, Closed Containment, Fish Farm Systems – More than 8,100
actual farms – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/01/key-document-34-mostly-on-land-closed.html.
*Key Fish Farm Statistics – Keith
Ashfield, Jan 11, 2012 News Release: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/01/keith-ashfield-jan-11-2012-news-release.html.
*ISA – Deficiencies in BC Testing
System, DFO and CFIA: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/01/isa-deficiencies-in-bc-testing-system.html.
*Alaska Pink Salmon Ocean Ranching: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2012/01/alaska-ocean-ranching-pink-problem.html.
2011 Posts
*Unspinning
Fish Farm Spin: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/12/unspinning-fish-farm-spin-dec-27-2011.html.
*Key Document – PCR Testing by BC
Government, CFIA: A Crituque on Infections Salmon Anemia Virus Detection
Capabilities of the Canadian Fish Health Protection Regulations – SA Goldes,
MSC, 2011: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/12/key-document-pcr-testing-by-bc.html.
*Key
Documents
– OIE ISA Testing Manual, Cohen
Commission Hearings, Dec 15, 16, 19,, 2011 – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/12/key-documents-oie-isa-testing-manual.html.
*Key
Documents
– Organic Seafood Does Not Include Farmed Atlantic Samon – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/12/key-documents-organic-seafood-does-not.html.
*ISA Testing for Salmon: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/12/isa-testing-for-salmon.html.
*Key BC News – ISA Disease in BC: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/key-bc-news-isa-disease-in-bc-nov-28.html.
*Key
Documents
– High Levels of PCBs, POPs and other Chemicals in Farmed Fish – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/key-documents-levels-of-pcbs-pops-and.html.
*ISA Breaks Out in Chile Again –
Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/isa-breaks-out-in-chile-again-nov-3.html.
*Fish Farm Diseases Pass Genes to Human
Diseases: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/fish-farm-diseases-passed-to-humans-nov.html.
*Minister Ashfield Denies BC ISA: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/minister-ashfield-denies-isa-nov-9-2011.html.
*ISA Current Press – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/isa-current-press.html.
*Chile Wants Compensation from Norway
and Norwegian Fish Farms: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/chile-wants-compensation-from-norway.html.
*Fish Farm Deaths – 29 Million Dead
Fish: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/11/fish-farm-fish-deaths-in-norway.html.
*Closed, On-land Fish Farm Systems –
Post Being Developed – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/closed-system-studies-post-being.html.
*Fish Farm Myths – A Growing List –
Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/fish-farm-myths-growing-list.html.
*Key
Links – Fish Farm Share Prices and Financial Information – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/key-links-fish-farm-share-prices-and.html.
*Key
Document
– Fish Farm Tactics: Spinwatch.org – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/key-document-fish-farm-tactics.html.
*Key
Links
– Fish Farm News and Science: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/links-to-fish-farm-news-and-science.html.
*Introductory List of Fish Farm Issues: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/introductory-list-of-fish-farm-issues.html.
*Key
Documents
– ISA Infections World Wide Since 1984 – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/isa-infections-world-wide-sine-1984.html.
*ISA in BC – Actions Needed Now: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/isa-in-bc-actions-needed-now.html.
*ISA Confirmed in BC – Salmon Extinction
Possible: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/isa-confirmed-in-bc-salmon-extinction.html.
**Cohen Commission Testimony – Dr.
Kristi Miller – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/cohen-commission-testimony-dr-kristi.html.
*Global Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA): http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/global-infectious-salmon-anemia-isa-in.html.
*Purpose of Fish Farm News and Science: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/purpose-of-fish-farm-news-and-science.html.
*Marine Mammals Killed by Fish Farms in
BC – Updated: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2011/10/marine-mammals-killed-by-fish-farms-in.html.