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> farmed salmon (I think). Also s
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Don't apologize for the rant, Jim. Sometimes we cannot conclusively prove
to everyone's satisfaction whether a particular practice has led to an
undesirable consequence. In my book, if the practice is sufficiently
implicated, steps need to be taken to curb damage.
Mom-and-pop salmon cage operations don't bother me much, but the recent
propensity to allow many ten-folds of expansion is scary, and ignores
ecological common sense.
Gee, why did ISA show up in Shelburne cages THIS year?
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
On Behalf Of James W. Wolford
Sent: June-12-12 5:55 PM
To: NatureNS; Mike Dadswell; Trevor Avery
Subject: [NatureNS] re Farmed vs. Wild Salmon (a rant, sorry)
Dear all,
I have the impression that the ups and downs of salmon runs in various
places, e.g., on both east and west coasts of Canada, are quite mysterious
and probably will continue to be so. Examples in our parts are northeastern
N.B. and a few rivers in Maine with big runs this year. Sockeye salmon in
the Fraser River in B.C. likewise were pretty good in 2002, when Pat & I
visited the run in the Adams River near Kamloops, but became very low in the
next "peak year" of 2006, but then had an historically huge peak in 2010
(every 4 years is a peak year-class, even though they run every year). That
was a miraculous but not-understood recovery from previous runs that were
multiples of millions of fish below the predictions.
This makes any relationship between the open-pen salmon "farming" or
feedlots and the wild salmon (of which there are 6 or 7 kinds of wild salmon
on the west coast, depending on how they are counted (include Atlantic
salmon and steelhead "salmon" (sea-run rainbow trout) plus the 5 native
species (sockey, chum, chinook, pink, and coho).
Thus the situation on the Pacific side of Canada, complicated by separate
management by the nw. States and Alaska (the latter apparently being the
very best, partly thanks to never allowing salmon farming there (very
enlightened, IMHO).
Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, who has an admitted bias against farming or
ranching any kind of animal that also exists in a wild and especially native
way in the same area.
P.S. PAUL's use of "DOF" (typo?) is very confusing to many readers,
including myself. DFO is the federal dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, while
NSDFA would be the provincial Nova Scotia Dept. of Fisheries and
Aquaculture.
P.S.S. And, to get another thing or two on the record: yes, of course, jobs
are very important, but not at any cost. Both the federal DFO and the
provincial NSDFA are blatant promoters of the aquaculture industry in all of
its forms, and yet both also have the responsibilities of regulating the
industry! And, much worse, in Nova Scotia, the same minister has two
obviously opposing portfolios, namely both Environment and Fisheries and
Aquaculture (Sterling Belliveau).
My next communication may discuss my disenchantment with the governing NDP
in Nova Scotia, after many years of support for same, and my reasons involve
not only salmon issues but also forestry practices, esp. clearcutting,
motorized vehicles (ATVs/OHVs) on public rail trails near communities, and
other things such as mink farms and the probable link to pollution of
watersheds. On the other hand, positively, the NDP has done some excellent
things lately on acquiring and designating protected spaces for future
generations.
Begin forwarded message:
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
Date: June 12, 2012 4:22:20 PM ADT
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Farmed Salmon
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Hi Paul, Jim & All, June 12, 2012
If I understand you correctly Paul, the runs on the NB rivers that empty
into the Gulf of SL were unusually high last year. Have I got that straight
? If so then that is very good news. How far back do the records go ?
Drawing on memory, all of the famous Salmon rivers in NB emptied into
the Gulf. For many years, every road end along Fundy beaches had a weir and
salmon were caught. As weir owners died these weir rights died with them in
most cases (some owners fought and managed to have them passed on I think),
as I recall, on the assumption that weir catches were impacting salmon runs.
Everything I know about Salmon and aquaculture could be printed on a
thumbnail but when I hear people asking to have Salmon farms moved inland to
save wild Salmon or the Rockies moved east so Saskatchewan won't be so flat,
I have a feeling that my thumbnail counts as an ace.
Building Salmon ponds on land near the coast, maintaining adequate
O2levels, filtering out the waste and composting this waste would be energy
intensive, at a time when energy conservation should be a top priority,
resources intensive (for e.g. pond linings, pumps, retaining walls, waste
water conduits), the land for this would cost a bundle and those who own
expensive costal property might not welcome industrial ponds next door and
the additional cost might well put another industry out of business. We need
jobs, food and tax revenue so solutions have to be realistic.
My 2 cents as they say, rounded up to a nickle now.
Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul MacDonald <mailto:paulrita2001@yahoo.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 7:30 AM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Farmed Salmon
Hi Dave
Good points you bring out.
The whole question has brought out people with lots of opinions
but with very little knowledge. But that never stops the Media types - LOL!
The wild salmon population in the Gulf of St Lawrence rivers was at an all
time
record as long as records were kept. That was last year. Newfoundland rivers
the
same with some exceptions as were European Rivers.
A couple of rivers in Maine had large runs but the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic
Coast
rivers were low. All the while the Natives and DOF play their chess game so
its
hard to know if the population is going up, down or sideways.
Nova Scotia Rivers have big problems - the Mersey with dams, the Lahave
with chain
picheral and so on but instead of trying to solve these problems the media
want
to wage war on the Fish Farms - go figure - guess they want something sexy
where they can find a villian. Sure not going to help the fish.
Have a nice day
Paul
_____
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 5:34:16 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Farmed Salmon
Hi Sandy & All, June 11, 2012
The question that nags is: Would salmon have declined to the same extent
(or nearly the same) if there had b