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website 12 May 05 Escaped farmed fish threaten wild salmon stocks, warns WWF Gland, Switzerland – The increased number of farmed salmon escaping into Norway’s open waters puts wild salmon under greater threat of disease, breeding difficulties and genetic contamination, according to a new report from WWF. The global conservation organization’s report shows that stocks of wild Atlantic salmon are already depleted due to the existing threats posed by dams and pollution. With fish crammed tightly into cages in open water, fish farming is an ideal breeding ground for disease and parasites, such as sealice. Escaped infected fish can then take these diseases with them into the wild and infect the non-farmed population. Around half a million farmed fish escape into Norwegian waters every year, meaning one out of every four salmon or trout found in Norway’s coastal waters are fish farm escapees. “It’s totally unacceptable that such enormous amounts of farmed fish have escaped from fish farms into open waters, undermining the long-term survival of wild salmon,” said Maren Esmark, Marine Coordinator at WWF-Norway. WWF’s report also shows that the up-river migration of escaped farmed salmon late in the spawning season physically displaces the eggs of the already spawned wild salmon. This effectively means that wild salmon’s reproduction ability is being reduced. This rise in the number of escaped salmon has led to an increase in interbreeding between the two varieties, which WWF says dilutes the gene pool and threatens the survival rate of offspring. With 500,000 tons of farmed salmon and trout produced per year, Norway’s fish farming business is a cornerstone of the country’s economy. However, according to WWF, Norwegian waters remain home to half of the global stock of wild Atlantic salmon. “One third of Norway’s wild salmon stocks are already suffering because of human activity,” said Dr Simon Cripps, Director of WWF’s Global Marine Programme. “Add to that the increasing threat of escaped fish and we have to ensure that industry and government clean up their act and begin to act responsibly.” WWF is also concerned about the increase in escaped farmed cod from Norway’s expanding cod farming industry and the effects this can have on the already imperilled stocks of wild cod. Escaped fish, whether they are salmon or cod also represent an economic loss for the industry. The Norwegian government and the fish farming industry have already taken some steps to reduce the amount of escaped fish, but WWF is urging for more to be done. These new measures should include increased security to prevent escapees, the individual tagging of farmed fish, and the location of fish farms away from vulnerable stocks of wild salmon or wild cod. PlanetSave.com 12 May 05 WWF says escaped farmed salmon threaten wild fish in Norway Written by DOUG MELLGREN OSLO, Norway (AP) _ Norway's wild salmon face an increasing threat from farmed salmon and trout that escape their crowded pens, spreading disease and disrupting breeding, a conservation group announced Thursday. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, about 500,000 farmed salmon and trout break out of aquaculture facilities each year. The escaped fish make up nearly one-quarter of those species in Norwegian waters. ``It's totally unacceptable that such enormous amounts of farmed fish have escaped from fish farms into open waters, undermining the long-term survival of wild salmon,'' said Maren Esmark, Marine Coordinator at WWF-Norway. The report said farmed fish are tightly crammed into open water cages, with great risk for the spread of disease and parasites. Escaped fish can then infect the wild population. WWF also said escaped fish disrupt breeding by swimming up rivers where wild salmon have already spawned, churning up eggs and reducing the wild fish's reproduction rate. Interbreeding between farmed and wild fish dilutes the gene pool and threatens the survival rate of offspring, according to the report released in Gland, Switzerland. Fish farming is a major industry in Norway, which sold 577,000 tons of such trout and salmon in 2003 for 9.4 billion kroner (US$1.5 billion; euro1.16 billion), according to the state agency Statistics Norway. It is the world's third largest exporter, after China and Thailand, the Fisheries Ministry said. However, WWF said the industry needs to reduce the number of escapes, both in its own economic self-interest and to protect wild fish. It said half of the global stock of wild Atlantic salmon are in Norwegian waters. ``One-third of Norway's wild salmon stocks are already suffering because of human activity,'' said Simon Cripps, director of WWF's Global Marine Program. ``Add to that the increasing threat of escaped fish and we have to ensure that industry and government clean up their act and begin to act responsibly.'' Norwegian Fisheries Ministry spokesman Halvard Wensel said many steps have already been taken to cut down on escapes. But WWF said more measures are needed, including more secure pens, individual identity tagging and placing aquaculture centers farther away from vulnerable wild stocks. The industry opposes tagging fish as too costly and too much of an ordeal for the farmed fish. Norway and the industry are also at odds with the European Union over an up to 24.5 percent antidumping toll imposed on Norwegian farmed salmon. links Related articles on Wild shores on Singapore status, issues, discussions Singapore's biodiversity status, threats, commercial applications of biodiversity |
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