<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Atlantic Salmon restoration efforts face grim realities]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by sindark http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/ Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:56:39 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/1 Priorities

"So what should a state biologist do? Pull the plug? Are 132 salmon better than none?"

The question is what alternatives are possible. If there is something that will achieve a better outcome - for salmon elsewhere or for another species - perhaps these efforts should be discontinued.

After all, doctors in hospitals do not devote the bulk of their attention to terminal patients. It is the ones where effort can yield recovery that are worth focusing on.

Of course, it is also vital to tell the story of failure in relation to these particular fish. If people forget that they used to exist, it becomes to easy to believe that humans are always a fairly benign force in the world.

a sibilant intake of breath

]]> Priorities

"So what should a state biologist do? Pull the plug? Are 132 salmon better than none?"

The question is what alternatives are possible. If there is something that will achieve a better outcome - for salmon elsewhere or for another species - perhaps these efforts should be discontinued.

After all, doctors in hospitals do not devote the bulk of their attention to terminal patients. It is the ones where effort can yield recovery that are worth focusing on.

Of course, it is also vital to tell the story of failure in relation to these particular fish. If people forget that they used to exist, it becomes to easy to believe that humans are always a fairly benign force in the world.

a sibilant intake of breath

]]> Comment #2 by caniscandida http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/ Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:12:53 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/2 history

Cf. also, generally, "The Unnatural History of the Sea," by Callum Roberts, an excellent introduction to exploitative attitudes of Europeans and Euro-Americans toward aquatic animals.

He does not have too much to say about salmon, but an early report on page 55 about salmon in northern Atlantic waters (by a New Brunswick-based source) is illustrative.

As for what a "state biologist" should do:  Well, it never hurts to start with a little prayer, to the Creator of us all, including the fish.  But right, if funds are an issue (and I do not know that that is the case here!), and if biologists think that some animals can indeed be saved with a bit of help, while other animals are going to be iffy even with help, then they may very well be justified to pull the plug.

Hopefully, there will be a few bucks to make a good record of the last remaining Atlantic salmon, before they are consigned to extinction.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> history

Cf. also, generally, "The Unnatural History of the Sea," by Callum Roberts, an excellent introduction to exploitative attitudes of Europeans and Euro-Americans toward aquatic animals.

He does not have too much to say about salmon, but an early report on page 55 about salmon in northern Atlantic waters (by a New Brunswick-based source) is illustrative.

As for what a "state biologist" should do:  Well, it never hurts to start with a little prayer, to the Creator of us all, including the fish.  But right, if funds are an issue (and I do not know that that is the case here!), and if biologists think that some animals can indeed be saved with a bit of help, while other animals are going to be iffy even with help, then they may very well be justified to pull the plug.

Hopefully, there will be a few bucks to make a good record of the last remaining Atlantic salmon, before they are consigned to extinction.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

]]> Comment #3 by Erik Hoffner http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/ Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:58:35 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/salmon-lesson/3 what's more hopeful

Thanks, Canis, and yes, "The Unnatural History of the Sea" is excellent.

More hopeful are the salmon stocks in Maine's rivers. So even if the Mass populations of salmon are on the wane and will need our help to perpetuate for some time, there's hope in those (so far) cooler climes to the north.

But they face a different and additional unknown that the Mass stocks don't face: the genetic/ecological effect of escapee atlantic salmon from Maine's many salmon farms which tend to wind up in those same rivers.

Erik

The Orion Grassroots Network: 1,200+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more


]]> what's more hopeful

Thanks, Canis, and yes, "The Unnatural History of the Sea" is excellent.

More hopeful are the salmon stocks in Maine's rivers. So even if the Mass populations of salmon are on the wane and will need our help to perpetuate for some time, there's hope in those (so far) cooler climes to the north.

But they face a different and additional unknown that the Mass stocks don't face: the genetic/ecological effect of escapee atlantic salmon from Maine's many salmon farms which tend to wind up in those same rivers.

Erik

The Orion Grassroots Network: 1,200+ grassroots groups working for conservation & more


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