Farmed salmon
 

Mike Connor wrote:

You are quite correct of course. Shellfish farming is generally relatively
harmless, indeed in many cases positively beneficial. Relatively large
amounts of catfish ( pangasius) are being imported into Europe, and these
are mainly grown on in rice paddies and similar. They are native to the
Mekong Delta, among other places. ( I don´t like the taste of this, but many
apparently do).

On the international trade front, an interesting and entirely bizarre
sidenote is that U.S. catfish farmers first brought action with the
International Trade Commission (and also, I believe, with the WTO) to
prevent East Asian (mainly Vietnamese) farmers from marketing Pangasius
spp. in the U.S. under the name "catfish", because U.S. catfish are
different species. They later brought a second action (and recently
won) against the supposed "dumping" in the U.S. of Vietnamese catfish
(i.e., Pangasius).

JR

Farmed salmon
 

"Mike Connor" Mike-Connor wrote in message
s.com...

snip

Research is being done into alternative feeds for salmonids and other more
or less pure predators, but as usual, too little and too late!

Unfortunately, at the present time, the massive use of wild fish protein
outweighs any other feed. Plans are also afoot, and quite well advanced,
to
start whitefish farming at various locations in Europe. ( Cod). This will
doubtless cause further havoc!

TL
MC

FWIW I copied some information from a 1999 parliamentary report from Sth
Australia following massive pilchard kills along the southern coast. I do
not know if there is yet full agreement on the conclusion that the virus
originated from contaminated pilchards imported from the Americas that were
fed to caged bluefin tuna and snapper. At the very least this gives some
indication of the potential problems that can result from relatively
unregulated industries such as aquaculture. The consequences of similar
outbreaks in the struggling cod population are quite frightening.

Vaughan


2. PILCHARD DEATHS

In 1995, and again in 1998, a massive number of pilchards died in the waters
of southern Australia. The deaths began near Eyre Peninsula, South
Australia, and spread east and west at a rate of approximately 30 km per
day. The fish suffered from gill lesions that caused asphyxiation. It has
been difficult to estimate the total volume of fish killed, however, SARDI
estimates were that 65 000 tonnes of pilchards had been affected in 1998,
compared with an estimated 40 000 tonnes in 1995. The Western Australian
fishery authorities estimate that in 1998, 30% of the total biomass was
removed.

The pilchard kills in both 1995 and 1998 have been attributed to a
Herpesvirus of unknown origin. The virus in both the 1995 and 1998 kills
appears to be the same based on genetic analysis but this work has not been
finalised.

Farmed salmon
 

JR wrote:

... What IS the emoticon for
tongue-in-cheek, anyway? ...

It's not universal, but in some of the groups I frequent
deliberate hyperbole, exaggeration for effect and tongue-
in-cheek comments are enclosed in # ... #.

For example I posted the following just the other day:

# You military types are SO much smarter and SO much better at critical
thinking and naturally you have access to SO much more information than
all us mere civilians who just listen to sound bites with our heads up
our asses. #

HTH

--
Ken Fortenberry

Farmed salmon
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in
message gy.com...

...HTH

#Immeasurably# :)

Wolfgang

Farmed salmon
 

"JR" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
SNIP
On the international trade front, an interesting and entirely bizarre
sidenote is that U.S. catfish farmers first brought action with the
International Trade Commission (and also, I believe, with the WTO) to
prevent East Asian (mainly Vietnamese) farmers from marketing Pangasius
spp. in the U.S. under the name "catfish", because U.S. catfish are
different species. They later brought a second action (and recently
won) against the supposed "dumping" in the U.S. of Vietnamese catfish
(i.e., Pangasius).

JR

I believe there are moves afoot to do something similar here, as the term
"Catfish" here is synonymous with "Wels". ( Silurus glanis). I have a vague
recollection of reading a short article about the impending forced removal
of the term "catfish" from the packaging, ( because it misrepresented the
contents), but it is a while ago now, and I can´t remember where I read it,
or in what precise connection. There has been some mild unrest about the
sale of this stuff here, but not sufficient to upset many, or make any
headlines. The only real fish farming of any volume here ( freshwater) is
carp, and salmonids, with some eels. The eels are only reared from elvers.
As yet, nobody has found a way to get them to breed in captivity. They are
in any case in severe decline.

Actually, there is a very great deal of misrepresentation on fish packaging.
All sorts of weird and wonderful names are thought up by the industry to
make various things more acceptable to consumers. The German terms would
mean nothing to you, but the same thing goes on in the UK, with terms like
"Rock salmon", and others. There are no such animals, these are names made
up by the industry.

TL
MC

Farmed salmon
 

"Vaughan Hurry" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
SNIP
FWIW I copied some information from a 1999 parliamentary report from Sth
Australia following massive pilchard kills along the southern coast. I do
not know if there is yet full agreement on the conclusion that the virus
originated from contaminated pilchards imported from the Americas that
were
fed to caged bluefin tuna and snapper. At the very least this gives some
indication of the potential problems that can result from relatively
unregulated industries such as aquaculture. The consequences of similar
outbreaks in the struggling cod population are quite frightening.

Vaughan
SNIP

I have seen some reports on these and other kills, but as you say, they were
actually inconclusive. Nevertheless, it is highly likely that infected feed
was the cause of the problem you mentioned, and of others, and even without
absolutely conclusive proof, one would imagine that at least some
precautions would be taken in future.

Indeed, the prospect of similar havoc being wreaked on the already
struggling cod stocks is very sobering indeed. Bass stocks are also on the
verge of extinction, ( although this is due mainly to overfishing). There
are quite a few stocks of various fish in various places which are
endangered for a number of reasons.

Even mild outbreaks of any new "artificial" diseases in the whitefish
populations would be devastating. Quite apart from all the subjects covered
in this thread, pollution, and eutrophication are also major problems which
must be addressed. If one waits for all the studies to be conclusively
concluded before taking action, or introducing regulatory measures, there
will be no point anyway, the problem will have solved itself, as there will
be no fish left to worry about.

In the light of the problems caused by sea-farming generally, conclusively
proven or otherwise, it is absolute madness to embark on ventures like cod
farming, etc. Hopefully it can be nipped in the bud, but things are not
looking too good right now. Unfortunately, common sense does not often
prevail against greed.

TL
MC

Farmed salmon
 

Greg Pavlov wrote:



There are degrees of separation betw marine and land
animal husbandry, but many fewer than you indicate.
You grew up with the former firmly in place, so it is
a given.




The former has been going on for many thousand years. These animals are
now domesticated and methods of safely raising them has been well worked
out and even then things like Mad Cow do crop up.

Ocean aquacultural is a new thing. IMO, there is a big difference
between raising domesticated animals on land and non domesticated fish
in the ocean.

Willi

Farmed salmon
 

"Willi" wrote in message
...


Greg Pavlov wrote:



There are degrees of separation betw marine and land
animal husbandry, but many fewer than you indicate.
You grew up with the former firmly in place, so it is
a given.




The former has been going on for many thousand years. These animals are
now domesticated and methods of safely raising them has been well worked
out and even then things like Mad Cow do crop up...

Safely? Hm......ever been to the southwestern U.S? Saharan Africa?
Central Asia? the Middle East? Seen pictures, perhaps?

Wolfgang
who, though not entirely content with the world, is at least glad that he is
not a grass nor an herbaceous plant.

Farmed salmon
 

"Willi" wrote in message
...

SNIP
World wide, however, things are not as good. Many of the developing
Countries around the world are exploiting their natural resources in
ways similar to what we did during the Industrial Revolution.


Actually I think there is a big difference in the chemistry of "our"
industrial revolution pollution and the industrial pppollution of the
industrialization of the 2nd and third world. Example: plastics/polymers and
even simple chemicals like household clorine played a very small role in
"our" IR, where as they are major in the IR going on today. The 2
situations ARE similar as far as wood and paper making (clorine etc) waste,
tanneries, meat packing and similar are concerned. perhaps someone on the
board has more specifics.

Dave