Editorial Comment by Gidon Minkoff
To anyone living in BC it is very obvious that environmental organizations have chosen to lambaste fish farmers on a regular basis. Personally I find it quite ironic that fish farmers are the target of environmentalist venom. I often ask myself what is it that these people eat that is not farmed (apart from fish)? or, how they can promote eating wild fish when the wild fish populations are in demise or under threat of extinction? Frankly, once the wild salmon have been depleted, the environmentalists will only have themselves to blame.
In BC, there is still a chance that the wild fish will survive man's onslaught. But this will only happen if the fishing effort declines and a balanced public attitude moves consumption towards the eating of farmed fish. If such a shift does not take place out of choice, it will happen due to circumstances. That is why it is important that the public be made aware of the benefits of eating farmed fish.
Eating farmed fish is safe! It is the safest way to continue consuming healthy sea food without impacting the natural fish populations. It is also safe because the quality and content of the product is monitored and scrutinized by farmers, veterinarians, as well as public health departments. In fact, with farmed fish there can be total product traceability, which is not a possibility in the case of wild fish.
In this section we will provide you, from time to time, with information that will assist you in realizing the benefits of eating farmed fish.
Attached you will find a refereed article by Tidewell and Allen which discusses many of the aquaculture issues that are currently in public debate.
LINK TO ARTICLE
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