There's Something Fishy with Salmon Farming in B.C.

B.C.'s Special Committe on Sustainable Aquaculture was recently "...appointed to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to Sustainable Aquaculture in British Columbia...". It is clear in reading the minutes of the Committee that salmon farming is a major issue.

Certainly the Committee has other issues to address, though, as open net cage salmon farming has already been studied to death. Independent scientists have repeatedly found that salmon farms harm the marine enviornment and are a threat to wild salmon, yet the provincial government is spending more taxpayer dollars to study the issue further.

And despite the fact that the Committee has barely begun it's process, the provincial government has approved another open net cage salmon farm in the Broughton Archipelago. Of course I am not surprised by this action, but I am deeply dismayed that the B.C. Liberals are again putting the salmon farming industry before the environment and wild salmon stocks.

For more information about the harmful effects of salmon farming, see my previous post, "Salmon Farming Sucks". There are links to useful information (including new ones added today) and easy ways to take action. You can also submit your concerns to the Special Committee on Sustainable Acquaculture through their Call for Submissions with a closing date of July 1, 2006.
Find out how to make your submission at the Georgia Strait Alliance.

For further information on the Committee and to see their minutes, visit the Legislative Assembly of B.C.

Related topics:

• Salmon Farming Sucks!
• Salmon Farming...the Dark Side
• Submission to the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture
• BC Fish Farm Saga Continues

Ban Terminator Seed Technology

Terminator Seed Technology, or Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURTs) threatens biodiversity. Please take action.

• Ban Terminator Click the button on the left, "Write to Your Government", for the Canadian Campaign and a letter to Harper.

Mackenzie Wild Declaration

A friend of mine got me on to this one. Add your name to oppose the Mackenzie Gas Project and help protect wildlife and habitat.

• Mackenzie Wild Declaration
  

Canada needs to focus on clean alternate sources of energy such as wind, solar and tidal power. Global warming is real and we must act now to meet our Kyoto targets. And please don't tell me that nuclear energy is a good, clean alternative...how the hell is toxic waste "clean"? While you're at it, send a letter to the Premier of Ontario about this one.

• David Suzuki Foundation
  
  

Salmon Farming Sucks!

I live on the ocean in Beautiful British Columbia. Out here there is nothing better than catching your own salmon and sharing it with family and friends fresh from the barbeque. As a teenager back in the '80's, my friends and I would go out in our speedboat and fish. And despite our lack of talent, we often brought something home. But in my short lifetime it has become more difficult to catch a salmon, or most other seafood for that matter.

There are many reasons for the decline in salmon stocks in B.C. and I believe one of the causes is open net cage salmon farming. At first glance salmon farming seemed like such a good idea...we could farm salmon to reduce the pressure on wild salmon stocks. But the salmon farms do more harm than good.

The problems with salmon farming are many, including:

• Sea lice are transferred from farmed salmon to wild juvenile salmon, reducing their chance of survival,
• Diseases such as IHN (Infectious haematopoietic necrosiscan) can be transferred from the salmon farms to wild salmon,
• The ocean floor below salmon farms is literally smothered with feces and food waste,
• Antibiotics and pesticides used on salmon farms contaminate the environment and shellfish,
• Farmed salmon contain higher levels of PCB and PBDE contamination than wild salmon, and are fed chemical dyes to colour their flesh pink,
• Escaped Atlantic salmon have been found in B.C. rivers and there is concern that they have spawned there, and
• Escaped Atlantic salmon compete for food with native species.

I have done my research on the subject, but don't take my word for it. Here are links to help you find out more and to take action:

• David Suzuki Foundation
• Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform
• Friends of Clayoquot Sound
• Friends of Wild Salmon
• Georgia Strait Alliance
• Living Oceans Society
• Rafe Mair
• Raincoast Conservation Society
• Raincoast Research Society
• Save our Skeena Salmon
• Watershed Watch Salmon Society
• Western Canada Wilderness Committee

Don't eat open net cage farmed salmon and tell your friends not to!

Related topics:

• There's Something Fishy with Salmon Farming in B.C.
• Salmon Farming...the Dark Side
• Submission to the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture
• BC Fish Farm Saga Continues

Keeping Down with the Jones'

Being someone who tends to ramble on, ranting and raving about something or other that pisses me off, and usually doing nothing to fix the problem, I decided some time ago to change that. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure I'll always love to rant away, but now I actually do take action once in a while.

But I feel like my lone voice has little or no impact, so I'm joining a movement..."Keeping Down with the Jones'". If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem and I don't want to be part of the problem any more. So join me and "Keep Down with the Jones'".

But what does that mean..."Keeping Down with the Jones'"? I believe that "Keeping Up with the Jones'" has caused many of the problems faced by humanity and the planet today. Our insatiable desire to consume...to have the best, the most, the newest, the fastest, the quickest...is the direct cause of horrible tragedies including global warming, pollution, extinctions, social injustices, and the list goes on. But is it okay to blindly consume without being held responsible for the effects of our consumerism? And what about fueling the corporate agenda and the corruption that goes with it?

But we all need to consume, right? "Keeping Down with the Jones'" is not anti-consumer. It is about consuming responsibly. It is about shifting to an economy that is sustainable, humanitarian and environmentally responsible. It is about holding those who we have voted into office accountable for their responsibility to protect our human rights and the environment in which we live.

If you are interested in hearing my rants, here's the place. And if you agree with me, we can take action together to be part of the solution. I will provide links to my favorite websites so you can research the issues further and so that you too can take action.