The Status of Salmon: An Update

Curious what’s happening with the salmon?  We were pleased to learn that Marine Harvest (they owned the majority of the salmon farms that we paddled by during our Inside Passage Kayak Expedition) has requested federal funding for a closed-containment trial.  It is great to hear that one of the biggest farmed salmon producers is considering switching from open-net pens, which allow parasites and waste to flush directly into the ocean infecting wild salmon, to closed-containment, which would prevent pollution.

Marine Harvest requests federal funding for closed containment

In an exciting development in the final days of 2009, Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) sent a letter to Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), that included a request for support and funding for a closed containment pilot project. Read more>>

Esteemed scientists advise removal of farms along wild salmon migration routes

Early last month, a think tank of scientists gathered at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver to discuss possible causes of the Fraser River sockeye collapse and urgent next steps needed to protect this iconic species. The group released a statement noting that the 2009 return was the lowest in 50 years and that the productivity of Fraser River sockeye has been declining since the mid-1990s to levels so low that they are almost unable to replace themselves. Read more>>

Sea lice out of control in Norway

Salmon farms in Norway are experiencing explosive increases in sea lice, likely a result of growing resistance to chemical treatments for the removal of the parasite. This increase is severely threatening the survival of migrating juvenile wild salmon. Read more>>