[acn-l] Interaction Between Wild /Farmed Atlantic Salmon Workshop

Howard Breen (HBreen at Island.net)
Mon, 21 Jun 1999 13:58:48 -0700

Modern agriculture has been the singlemost largest cause of loss of
biodiversity. Intensive ocean-farming will eliminate the last wilderness of
the great seas.

Howard

Proceedings now available (abstract at bottom):
Interaction Between Wild and Farmed Atlantic Salmon in the Maritime
Provinces

Proceedings of the Diadromous Subcommittee
Regional Advisory Process

November 30 - December 4, 1998
Moncton, New Brunswick

For a copy, please see:
www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/csas/Proceedings/proceedings99.htm. (If it's not yet
on the web, it will be very soon.)

There is also the Habitat Status Report (HSR) from the workshop which can
be found at:

http:intra1.maritime.dfo.ca:999/wwwroote/science/rap/english/habitat_st._re
port/habitat_status_1999.htm

(highlights the issue, state of current knowledge as well as future
management and research recommendations for immediate and long-term
action.)

Or contact:

Dr. John A. Ritter
Manager, Diadromous Fish Division
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Science Branch, Maritime Region
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
P.O. Box 1006
Dartmouth, NS
B2Y 4A2

Tel: (902) 426-3136 (Halifax office)
(506) 851-2945 (Moncton office)
Fax: (506) 851-2147 (Moncton office)
(902) 426-6814 (Halifax office)
E-mail: RitterJA at mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Abstract

Since its beginning in the 1960s, commercial salmon farming has become a
major industry in both Europe and North America. During the 1980s,
scientists and managers became aware that substantial numbers of farmed
salmon that had escaped from aquaculture facilities were intermingling with
wild salmon. Since then, there has been mounting concern that interactions
between wild and cultured salmon might prove harmful to the wild salmon
stocks, leading to changes in their genetic composition, the introduction
of diseases and parasites, and harmful ecological effects. This highly
controversial issue has been debated internationally and locally both
within the science community and between the aquaculture industry,
conservation and traditional fishing (recreation, commercial and Native)
groups. Here in the Maritimes, concerns have heightened as a result of
growing evidence of escaped farmed salmon entering the marine ecosystem and
ascending rivers. Evidence also exists of escaped farmed juvenile salmon
entering rivers directly and migrating to sea. Although suspected locally,
impacts had not been examined in Atlantic Canada.

In response to this situation, DFO held a special workshop under its
Regional Assessment Process to evaluate the state of current knowledge of
these interactions as they would apply to the situation in the Maritime
Provinces and to recommend ways of minimizing any risks identified, options
for improved management, and future research. The Workshop took place from
November 30 to December 4, 1998 at the Crystal Palace Hotel in Dieppe, New
Brunswick with over 70 participants from government agencies, the
aquaculture industry, conservation organizations, local universities, and
including experts from across Canada, the US and overseas.

Products from the workshop include nineteen research documents summarizing
both the available information on the local salmon farming industry and the
wild salmon stocks and the science pertaining to the potential interaction
between wild and farmed salmon. In addition, a Habitat Status Report was
produced highlighting future management and research recommendations for
immediate and long-term action.

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