The escape of hordes of farmed ATLANTIC salmon from their pen located north of Seattle has created great angst and anger in the Pacific Northwest.
Biologists, State Wildlife officials, fishermen and consumers are screaming. Native wild salmon are a big deal in Washington State and British Columbia. They all say that there’s no debate; this event is a ecological disaster for the fragile native salmon ecology. I rarely eat farmed salmon, but I didn’t realize that farmed Atlantic salmon was so loathed on the west coast.
It is not loathed if it is in the form of a filet at Costco… it is really loathed when it is released into the wild where it can wreak havoc on the native species.
Exactly what Bunsen said. Wow, blaming it on the eclipse, disgusting.
People want to know what they’re eating. I try not to touch farmed salmon, and who knows what is going to happen now? It is one of our prized species around here, everything is about the salmon.
Why are they even being farmed in the Pacific waters if their escape would cause trouble? Hubris to think they would never escape or there would never be human error.
Like the GMO salmon that is crossed with some other creature to make it grow faster. Hmmm, what could go wrong there? Haven’t we learned from Kudzu?
Obviously, it is the almighty dollar, but who actually thought farming Atlantic salmon in the Pacific waters was a good idea? Will it bring a higher market price, since its now a bi-coastal fish?
What’s next, should we bring Maryland Blue Crab to the Left Coast and stock 'em in San Francisco Bay?
^maybe it is being farmed in the Pacific because the Atlantic is now too warm , thanks to global warming, for native salmon to grow and thrive there…
or because they were overfished.
There are pros and cons to both wild and farmed salmon. Not all farmed salmon is the same. it helps to know the source and reputation of what you’re eating.
I know folks who work in marine research and recommend farmed for various reasons including sustainability. I live on the east coast, though.
But, yeah, the escape in the PNW is unfortunate and flawed planning, something we humans are all to good at.
Doesn’t farmed atlantic salmon carry some kind of virus that can spread to wild salmon? I read something about it a long time ago. Since then, I have avoided farmed atlantic salmon. I agree with others. They shouldn’t have allowed it. How did they pull it off over environmentally conscious PNW?
If you’ve made decisions on what to eat/not to eat in regards to salmon some time ago, I suggest reading up again on current practices as many have made great progress. It may not change your stance, but farming practices have evolved a lot.
