Bigger Fish to Fry?

U.S. government wants to boost fish-farming industry

Posted at 11:40 AM on 10 Dec 2007

Eighty percent of American fish dishes are imported, and the federal government is eager to get the U.S. seafood market on equal footing (finning?) by kicking off industrial-scale fish farming in the Gulf of Mexico. Under regulations to be considered next month, fish born in laboratories would be transported to gigantic underwater cages capable of holding up to 100,000 pounds of sea critters; once at marketable size, the fish would be harvested and taken back to shore for consumption. Commercial fisherfolk have come out against the plan, fearing for their already hurting industry; green groups are also leery, pointing out that the proposed rules contain no specific pollution standards and do not specify where in the gulf the farms would be located. Says Marianne Cufone of green group Food and Water Watch, "They haven't addressed what it will do to the coastal communities, the environment, or to the fishing industry we already have." Details, details.

sources: St. Petersburg Times, The Times-Picayune, The Press-Register

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Comments: (6 comments)

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Horrible idea

Any type of industrial animal agriculture operation is just a bad idea, whether you're talking about pigs, chickens, mink or fish. Pollution, animal cruelty, disease, and so on. I certainly don't want my tax money going to this. The way solve the problem of declining fish populations is protecting habitat, reducing pollution and encouraging people to eat less seafood, not subsidizing industrial fish farms.

by amc89 at 2:10 PM on 10 Dec 2007

Well, at least...

The proposed rules would forbid non-native species and require that one-fourth of the brood stock change every year, so the gulf doesn't fill up with one, genetically vulnerable strain.

That's better than most countries, at least.

by Tasermons Partner at 4:53 PM on 10 Dec 2007

The problem that isn't being addressed

Fish farms and aquaculture in general are tremendously detrimental to the environment. However, a big issue, and one that isn't being addressed enough is the elevated risk that eating farmed seafood presents for human health. Farmed fish have high concentrations of antibiotics, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in their tissues. Eating farmed seafood can seriously compromise human health just as the process of industrial aquaculture can seriously harm the marine environment. Aquaculture isn't a viable solution to having overfished our seas.

by Saritah at 11:23 AM on 11 Dec 2007

bad ---> worse

This will only make a bad ocean situation even worse.
Please see the "Fisha nd Other Sea Animals" section of

Eco-Eating: Eating as if the Earth Matters
www.brook.com/veg

Eco-Eating: Eating as if the Earth Matters at www.brook.com/veg

by CyberBrook at 12:06 PM on 13 Dec 2007

This is a horrible idea.

We need to save our oceans. Not pollute them even more.

Do some research and see how destructive these farms are to the surrounding ocean environment, and the life that exists there. Plus the fish produced by these farms are highly toxic. Research it.

This government makes decisions based on money, not facts.

It is time to replace these people who are supposed to be protecting us citizens.

Support and vote for Dennis Kucinich. He cares for the people and environment.

Peace...
Curtis

by cebnalb at 6:12 PM on 13 Dec 2007

Fish farming and the extinction of wild salmon

A report in Science magazine concludes that fish farming could drive the Pacific salmon to extinction within 10 years - http://www.blueplanetsociety.org/about4.html

by Blueplanet at 4:21 AM on 14 Dec 2007

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