Fish Farms: Fortune or Fiasco?

[TOP SHOT]

You might not think the words "fish farm" would evoke a great emotional reaction, but let me tell you, some serious sturm und drang went down at last week's Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting with what has proved to be quite a hot-button issue: Should the federal government allow large aquaculture facilities to operate in federal Gulf waters?

(You can read the entire blog here)

[Jellybean]

Fiasco. These things will cause more problems than they solve.

[irishman]

The one major fault in fish farm's is FOOD.To feed the fish in the cages ,they kill millions of tons of krill,sandells and sardines and make fishmeal out of it.
Until they stop industrial fishing ,No hope for wild fish

[TOP SHOT]

you, bet, irishman... i mention that very concern. it seems to me that many fish farms would be increasing the carrying capacity of the gulf, at least as far as top-level predators, and yeah -- what do they eat? most likely, menhaden, the main and vital forage fish that many environmental and anglers' groups already feel are probably overfished. your list of forage fish in post suggests colder waters-- presumably off ireland. are you seeing growth in the aquaculture business there that is demanding tonnage of these small forage species?

[anyfishinsea]

'The sky is falling - the sky is falling!" Of course their will be an environmental impact. That's the point. The question is whether your children and grandchildren eat seafood or McDonalds when the population of humans reaches 9 billion. How many of us conservationsists are willing to research the question of raising forage fishes, or adding minerals like iron to increase a plankton bloom, or pumping nutrient rich waters from depth to lower surface temperatures or create man-made upwellings? Assume for one second that increasing the supply of seafood for humans is a worthy pursuant. Are we willing to try?

[irishman]

THE year 2008 there was 5 MILLION TONS of of fish used for animal feed and
fish aquaculture,They will tell you, if you buy our fish,you are saving the fish in the wild,BUT and that's A BIG BUT,They won't tell you they take the food from the wild fish to feed the fish in the cages,.If they would stop overfishing,and stop industrial fishing for fishmeal and let nature take it's course.PLENTY of fish in future

[Ulua]

' Assume for one second that increasing the supply of seafood for humans is a worthy pursuant. Are we willing to try?

Fish farms result in less fish in the ocean and less seafood, not more.

[Sam Salmon]

Fish farms result in less fish in the ocean and less seafood, not more.

You're right about that here in BC fish anywhere there's a fish farm there are fewer fish returning-a total fiasco letting someone destroy the ocean and everything in it.