Minister Gail Shea selling out our heritage in Norway

Here's Gail Shea promoting salmon farming, instead of protecting our wild salmon.

Alexandra Morton's new blog gives her take on what is happening in her neck of the woods RIGHT NOW. The photos of lice infested salmon are especially disgusting along with the descriptions of these once proud fish being decimated by sea lice from government sponsored fish farms.

Gotta get off this chair

OK Rafe, you got me there.
Been busy this summer and the sched runs through most of September. Got anything happening this fall?
I happen to know some industry people who build support systems for on land hatcheries (and possibly still sell equipment to some net farms). I'll run this by them tomorrow just for fun
I do not expect that a Minister like Shea has any idea what she is doing (or what is happening in the sea)
Yes, it is very sad that most Canadians and even more B.C.ers do not seem to know or care about a lot of pressing issues but you got me: aging alcoholic asshole
Let's Rock!

Gail Shea's response to the millions of missing sockeye

Here's what the DFO minister had to say when contacted by our paper. This is the full, unedited version:
http://tinyurl.com/mppu5x

I don't get it - the sales pitch, that is...

If I understand correctly, the Norwegians basically invented salmon farming. Why are we trying to sell them farmed salmon? This sounds like a Canadian cheese maker trying to sell a Gruyere-style cheese to the Swiss. What's the point? Wouldn't your marketing efforts pay off elsewhere?

So, this is a NEW "Problem" ???

EXACTLY how long has the Pacific salmon stocks been going down hill? The last year or two? Since the Cons have been in power? Or has it been since the Lower Rainland has expanded it's urban core to Hope and the Fraser River habitat destruction reached unsustainable levels? Is this the same DFO that allowed the complete destruction of the domestic Atlantic fishery? The same DFO that allowed foreign fleets to clean out the fish stocks off BOTH our coasts without sinking the bastards? Is this the DFO that has allowed the Alaskan commercials to vacuum up the BC runs WITHOUT a whimper? HOW LONG have fish farms been polluting our coast? HOW LONG has DFO been abdicating it's responsibility and authority to act by passing it over to some corrupt, pseudo-agency of so-called native governments while truck loads of "missing salmon" are shipped South and East with impunity ? HOW LONG has it been since "native fishery boats" have been exempt from catch counts or limits?
It has ALL been going on for way too long, Rafe. This is NOT something that just happended yesterday. We have been betrayed by both provincial and federal governments for 40 years.

cboo 44 Alexandra Morton shows SEA LICE the problem.

Certainly DFO, and our various gov't ministries don't seem to have helped the salmon situation, as well as climate change and environmental damages. But Alexandra Morton's Blog is giving us real time indications that it is the SEA LICE from FISH FARMS that are actually causing the most damage to our British Columbia Salmon.

Should the Fisheries

Should the Fisheries Minister be charged with Breach of Trust?

Good article Rafe

Too bad that it is factually garbage.

I believe the saying goes: It is not what you do not know that gets you. It is what you know that ain't so.

The internet has facilitated the exchange of information and ideas, which is great. The problem is that is as easy to exchange false information as it is to exchange factual information.

Rafe would perhaps have us believe that the fisheries minister is incompetent, the Department of Fisheries and oceans is incompetent, the Fisheries biologists and regional managers are incompetent,the provincial fisheries are incompetent, and the Regional Districts are incompetent, and the fish farms are willfully destroying our wild stocks.

Perhaps Rafe should look in a mirror. In the old days of journalism a journalist would do a little bit of research, and look at the other side of the story, instead of spreading urban legends around.

In my experience real researchers tend to run away from microphones not toward them. Those people who run towards microphones to give their opinion should perhaps be treated with caution.

The "research" which started the sea lice legend was highly, highly flawed.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;322/5909/1790b?ck=nck

The DFO has studied the sea lice allegations, and found no association between sea lice and fish farms.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/infocus-alaune/2005/20051011b/info-eng.htm

The Pink salmon returns in south are doing just fine.

http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/10731/pink-salmon-returns-to-bc

Rafe, I think that it is this article which has betrayed.

Good Article Rafe

And after reading the above articles and research done in 2005 its safe to say Rafe's argument is very valid.
It all counts. As Dr. John Volpe, a noted fish biologist, recently made clear, the world's independent fish biologists "spoke with one voice" and that the impact connection of lice from fish farms on wild salmon is "indisputable".
Who are you going to believe? I'm going with Rafe and of course the biologist and Suzuki to name just a few who feel the lice from the fish farms can't be disputed unless you got some old research you can always try.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=7b32e2cd-18b7-4563-941c-2534c4d17c12

At the very least, ask questions.

Ok, let's say you're right, Illahie. Let's say there is no linkage between salmon farming and sea lice destroying wild salmon.

What about the relationship between the corporate food industry and government...should that not be examined? It's no secret that grocery stores prefer farmed salmon. It's more dependable than wild. Hell, who wouldn't prefer farmed salmon if you had to sell it? All you have to do is send in your order and presto: here comes your mass produced salmon hot off the presses!

That's all well and good. Everybody's happy. Nonetheless, shouldn't we at least examine this relationship between the corporate food industry and government? At least ask the question: why does the Minister Gail Shea go to Norway to advance salmon farming? Just for the hell of it? For shits and giggles?

Or is it because (Sothebys) and the corporate food industry leaned on her.

Think about it.

Rufus has a good point I think

"At the very least, ask questions."

I think that it is more important than ever to ask questions, instead of just blindly hoovering up whatever drivel is shoveled out by the journalistic community these days.

Real journalism looks at both sides of a story, not just repeating the rantings of the lunatic fringe.

That means that the readers of this web site have a responsibility too. Is the journalist trying to be fair and balanced, or is he/she trying to push an agenda?

How much work would it have been for Rafe to properly research this story?

A six grade student could look at the life cycle of Pacific and Atlantic salmon and quickly determine that salmon are born in fresh water, and sea lice only live in the ocean, so it is not possible for a fresh water raised hatchery cultured salmon become infected, until the salmon are transfered to the ocean. When in the ocean, the farm salmon can get infected, but not before the next generation of sea lice is hatched (about 3 months).

How much work would it have been for Rafe to look at the Broughton Pink salmon returns?. (hint, the information is published on the internet)

How much work would it have been for Rafe to look for the presence of fish farms near the Fraser River?

How much work would it take to add the smallest bit of balance to this story. One hour? Thirty minutes? 10 minutes?

As the journalistic workload increases, and as the funds available for journalists to conduct research decreases, this problem will just get worse and worse.

Be alert people, and at the very least, ask questions.

real life

Illahie, don't forget that Rafe is on a mission!
He has been very one-sided all his life, even if he from time to time makes a 180 degree about turn.

As with everything, you need to sit back and digest information carefully.

Personally I cannot understand why fishfarms should not be based on land, and can only assume it is easier to dump the crap on the oceanbottom ?

Why would they worry about harming their main competitors anyway?

Sorry, it won't wash

DFO has no credibility.

They were involved, hand and glove, with the characters who fished out the Grand Banks.

It wasn't foreign fishermen who did this, it was Canadian companies - 'supervised' by DFO 'scientists'.

If you're relying on these guys to save the Pacific Salmon then there's no hope whatsoever. .they'll serve the short term interests of the various 'user' groups - sport, commercial and aboriginal - until there are no fish left.

Exactly what they did to the cod.

Alex Rose used to work for the federal fisheries department.

He wrote a book called Who Killed The Grand Banks, about the collapse of the east coast cod fishery in 1992.

He's been looking at the situation on the west coast and he says it's time to shut down the west coast salmon fishery entirely in a last ditch attempt to save it.

I think I'll listen to Axel Rose, thank you very much.

DFO - and especially the upper echelons of the ministry in Ottawa - has no credibility.

Whatever Rafe may have done in the past is one thing, on this file I think he and Alex Morton are the ones to believe.

Sea Lice are only PART of the destruction.

If you think for one moment that sea lice are the only problem with our salmon stocks, you've had your head in some dark place for 30+ years. Alex Morton has ONLY studied and become fixated ONLY on sea lice. Do you not think that the "Sewer of BC" the Fraser River, is endangered habitat? Do you not believe that the rising water temperatures(due to logging and dewatering) of every spawning tributary of the Fraser, just MIGHT be contributing? Do you not believe that the increase in population, increase in pavement and concrete, ALL directing oil/rainwater emulsion into the Fraser via storm drains is a teensy weensy part of the problem? Do you not think that spawning streams that in the past have hosted millions of spawning sockeye, which are now BONE DRY and hosting nothing except dry land animals, just might be "an issue" ?
Take the blinkers off, try not to fall for the "dumbing down" of the whole sorry mess that has gone on for a very long time.

Defeat Minister Shea.

Gail Shea has been mute on problems faced by our westcoast fishery; this alone should compel her removal as fisheries minister.
She will benefit from thousands of dollars in donations from the aquaculture industry in the federal election---likely this fall or shortly after the 2010 winter games.
If just 2500 people (myself included) sent $20.00 to the candidate with the best chance of defeating her, regardless of political party, the $50,000 total would level the playing field.
Otherwise this incompetent minister will be rewarded for her and her government's sellout to an industry that profits with the eradication of our native salmon.

thanks Rafe

great article (as usual!) and an excellent reminder to BE ACTIVE. Doing nothing is acquiesing to evil.

Eye appeal

I like the fact that someone can change, even 180o, when more or different facts come in. Good for Rafe. Corporate donations are a shame and a sham, always paying off politicians and corporations to make each other richer, all at the expense of the citizens of this country. Really disgusting that corporations can donate to ministries that directly effect their businesses. These are not 'donations' but truly bribes. It should also be illegal for the fish farm business, already kicked out of their own European countries, to put artificial colour or dye into their 'sockeye', to match the real thing. These farmed fish are naturally born white. Let's require stores to show a picture of what they are actually selling and what they are fed to make them 'sockeye' orange. Eye non-appeal would hurt their dirty business. If anyone does know exactly what they are fed and what countries have already kicked them out I would appreciate knowing. I'm very glad the majority of the farmed fish are exported.

Sorry Illahie BUT

Sorry Illahie But I am not interested in Fair and Balanced Journalism, I'm interested in the TRUTH no matter who's ricebowl is broken. True Journalists are not interested being Fair. Their job is to see that the facts they put forward is the TRUTH.
This concept of balance is usually used to ensure equal time during during broadcasting political debates at election times.
Rafe is on the right track, TRUTH is the object.

Why not seaweed aquaculture?

Wikipedia: "aquaculture"

"In 2004, the total world production of fisheries was 140.5 million tonnes of which aquaculture contributed 45.5 million tonnes or about 32% of the total world production.[7] The growth rate of worldwide aquaculture has been sustained and rapid, averaging about 8 percent per annum for over thirty years, while the take from wild fisheries has been essentially flat for the last decade."

Perhaps more research needs to be done regarding how to operate fisheries on the BC coast...but to simply shut down fish farms might be the wrong strategy. Even though Canada has many shores on the north, east and west coasts (not to mention inlnad fresh water)...Canada isn't even in the top ten aquaculture producers worldwide. If a poor or middle class person has a hankering for some seafood...chances are they need to import said food from countries that do practice fish farming. Everyone in the world (or Canada or BC) can't eat wild fish. For better or worse fish farming is here to stay. Perhaps best practices should be researched to ensure the least amount of damage to wild species

Perhaps BC should look into seaweed farming more so...Japan, Korea and China all produce many kinds of seaweed through aquaculture. Differnet kinds of seaweed are very good nutritionally...protien, iron, iodine, calcium, and many different kinds of vitamins can all be obtained through aquacultured, sustainable seaweed harvests. Perhaps seaweed harvesting could be done so in conjunction with fish farms...as in, just like land agriculture rotates crops and leaves feilds fallow...why couldn't a seaweed farm be located where a fish farm was situated a year before. The farm fish wastes could help grow seaweed...

And the good thing about mass produced seaweed aquaculture is that not only could said crops feed many people somewhat complete plants for nutrition purposes (and seaweed can last almost forever if stored correctly)...but if there was a huge abundance of seaweed reserves... they could be used to feed land animals or used for land crops

If BC wants to decrease fish farms...why not increase aquacultured seaweed farms?...

Perhaps a little more research is in order

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1663604,00.html

As the above link points out, the idea that aquaculture is the way of the future is as misguided as the notion that factory farms, feedlots and battery cages would bring cheap nutritious food to the masses.

Incredibily wrong headed from the beginning - just like the geniuses on the east coast who turned the Grand Banks into a killing ground until they'd nearly wiped out the Atlantic cod fishery.

Words to live by Illahie

"I think that it is more important than ever to ask questions, instead of just blindly hoovering up whatever drivel is shoveled out by anonymous posters these day". I substituted "anonymous posters" because while we know what Rafe's interst is in preserving wild salmon stocks, we have no idea what your interest is. That is a much scarier proposition.

Sea Lice Story a Big Fraud

The science regarding the effects of sea lice on wild salmon is currently at best unproven. But that doesn't stop the ideologues from spouting all the venom they can muster about fish farms. An example is the ludicrous full page ad in the Times-Colonist in early August. The ad was placed by an individual who in one life claims to be an objective scientist and in another life to be a staunch opponent of fish farms.

Well, ya can't be both and maintain credibility.

This whole issue reminds me of the deep ecologists who were saying in the 1980s that all of our old growth would be gone in 20 years. The fact is that 50% of it is still here and most of that will never be logged. And all the people who are too lazy to research the issue will continue to be fair game for the propagandists of the environmental movement.

Canadian blinkers

I agree that we should let go of our national myopia and do more research, like taking a good hard look at what is happening elsewhere in the world. Norway, for instance. Apparently their wild salmon runs are not doing well at all, in fact they have dropped alarmingly, something that has also triggered informed protests in that country. What an amazing coincidence.

Alaska has outlawed fish farms.

this was in today's paper:

http://www.timescolonist.com/columnists/Fraser+River+sockeye+little+chance+because+fish+farms/1971312/story.html

Now Illahie, care to respond?

Same old tune

Still at it eh, x4estworker? You know as well as I do that if many areas hadn't been preserved, by now they'd be logged and that so-called 50% would not be around today anyway, and further, if the industial logging insanity hadn't been at least partly curbed, there'd be even less old growth timber left in your "working forest" today.

But then you'd point to your "green-up" as fair trade, just as you've alays done.

And now you're pointing to the fish farms as a fair trade for our wild fish.

Anglican jingle, and GWest

Thank you, thank you Rafe. I grew up with Anglican men saying everything had to be the way of God/Jesus, but they gave the retiring priest a Fiat Spider, not a donkey.

Also, I have a poster from Globe 92, only the French ones were left; it shows an empty boat in an otherwise boatless Atlantic. "Mettons fin a la surpeche etrangere", it says. And I crossed out, of course, "etrangere".

G West, as usual, you got it right:

"DFO has no credibility.

They were involved, hand and glove, with the characters who fished out the Grand Banks.

It wasn't foreign fishermen who did this, it was Canadian companies - 'supervised' by DFO 'scientists'."

My impression exactly, though not from the speakers, from the rabble at Globe 92.

Thank you for bringing this up.

Canadian offices?

What are the names of the three Norwegian companies that farm in BC? Where are the Canadian offices of these companies?

Motivations

Skywalker above has questioned my motivations for writing about fish farms.

OK fair enough.

If he knew the meaning of Illahie, he probably could figure it out for himself. If he hailed from Klemtu or Ocean Falls, he would likely know the meaning of the name. If he is writing from his mothers basment in Surrey, likely not.

Even though the sea lice allegations against fish farms were brought up by special interest groups, the allegations if true, would be serious and would threaten the viability of the fish farm industry.

DFO had an obligation to look into sea lice fish farm wild stock interactions. They did. They found no effect of farm fish sea lice on wild stocks.

Now that we know the sea lice allegations are false, it would be improper to let the allegations continue without some comment about their falsehood.

Because DFO says there is no

Because DFO says there is no connection between sea lice, fish farms and wild salmon, that makes it so? Wow, Illahie, I didn't think you were that naive.

I must admit I am in awe somewhat of people like you. You can suck the oceans dry of all species and still argue that all is well, and pocket a tidy profit from doing so. You can even reverse the blame on conservationists in a brilliant display of Orwellian gymnastics. Wow. Amazing.