|
Ruth Salmon |
THE regulations governing Canada's aquaculture sector were among the most stringent in the world, a leading figure from the industry has maintained.
Ruth Salmon, executive director of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, which is based in Ottawa, said the finfish and shellfish farming sectors were collectively governed by no fewer than 73 distinct rules and regulations.
Writing in her blog published by the Vancouver Observer, said that a group of 'media-savvy' activists whose mandate has long-been to oppose British Columbia's salmon farming sector were doing their best to position the Cohen Commission hearing into declining Fraser River sockeye salmon stocks as an inquiry into fish farms.
In Canada the inquiry has attracted interest far wider than just the seafood industry and her article on both sides of the argument is one of many which have appeared in the Canadian Press in recent days.
Ironically, the inquiry coincides with a report that the current salmon harvest on the Fraser River is one of the best for some time, with some very good quality fish.
She pointed out that the Cohen Commission was not an investigation into fish farming. .Many factors – such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution and changing ocean conditions – affected the survival of wild salmon.
In fact salmon farmers in British Columbia were "supporting this important process by providing extensive data, and offering perspectives from people who rely on a healthy marine environment to grow their product," Ms Salmon added. Fish farming now accounted for half the seafood eaten around the world and was the fastest growing animal food producing sector.
Should people be 'stimulated' to eat white fish alternatives to cod?
