Fish farms: ‘…still using the ocean as a toilet’

Photo: NDP Fisheries critic Fin Donnelly would like to see all aquaculture operations moved to land. (Clayoquot Action)

NDP Fisheries critic proposes removing fish farms from oceans

Fish farmers believe it would wipe out the industry.

The federal NDP critic for Fisheries and Oceans is proposing legislation that would overhaul fish farming by moving open-net fish farms from the ocean to land in an effort to stabilize and grow dwindling wild sockeye salmon numbers.

"The impact to wild salmon has been a huge concern," MP Fin Donnelly said to All Points West host Jason D’Souza. "I want to see healthy watersheds, healthy fish populations."

Reports have shown that wild sockeye salmon that come into contact with fish farms are more likely to be introduced to a number of problems, including parasitic sea lice — which attach themselves to the fish, weakening and sometimes killing them — and the piscine reovirus (PRV). PRV affects salmon’s ability to swim upstream, which makes it harder for them to return to their spawning grounds.

"There’s got to be a better way to raise these fish and to protect our wild salmon," Donnelly said. "The most plausible solution I’ve heard is to adopt a new technology called RAS [recirculating aquatic systems], which has been developed out of the United States and implemented here […]

Full article: ‘They are still using the ocean as a toilet’: NDP Fisheries critic proposes removing fish farms from oceans

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