It’s truly amazing how most journalists, in a seemingly desperate attempt to promote Alaska seafood, criticize any form of fish culture while always dodging any mention of Alaska’s massive fish culture program.
Just one example, is an article written by Carla Helfferich called “Fuss Over Farming Fish“. In the article she mockingly quotes fish farmers as saying “the solution to pollution is dilution” – the apparent answer to potential impact of the ocean bottom beneath fish farms.
Now she could have easily mentioned that the “solution/pollution/dilution” model applies best to the ocean ranching businesses set up all over the coast in Alaska. After all, 1.5 billion salmon are released each year to compete for food with naturally wild salmon and, we can only assume, need to crap somewhere.
Here’s something to think about:
The next time you read a scathing opinion piece from a pro-Alaskan journalist on fish culture, compare the criticisms to Alaska’s ocean ranching program. Do 1.5 billion salmon eat, poop and look for some ‘wild tail’ (that is a play on words…we mean having sex with naturally wild fish)? You bet they do, and that may have far more reaching impacts than other ways of culturing fish.
To read Carla’s (uneducated) opinion click here
