August 6, 2013 — The anti-salmon farming lobby in Scotland is legendary, and not a week goes by without adverse comment by one or another organization against an industry that produces the country’s No. 1 food export, whose worldwide retail value is more than GBP 1 billion (USD 1.54 billion, EUR 1.16 billion). Whether it is on environmental, habitat, scenic impact, noise, adverse effect on the wild salmon population or other grounds, the lobby is well organized, active and highly vocal.
Trout farming has already existed peacefully in the loch for more than 20 years, with none of these impacts becoming obvious, so it is difficult to see why they should suddenly occur now. However, public opinion has been stirred and the anti-aquaculture lobby is gathering momentum as other campaign groups rally to the cause.
The economic, technical, environmental, biological, physical and chemical aspects of any fish farm application these days is examined in great detail by well qualified people with all the evidence in front of them, and they are well able to make dispassionate decisions away from the hullaballoo of public opinion.
However, public opinion can still be a powerful force, and as fish farms here, in the U.S. and Canada have found to their cost, it can be very difficult to fight off a sustained campaign, even when it is based on irrational supposition. Dawnfresh can only hope that the local planning authority sees through the hysteria and realize that it is just NIMBYs [Not in My Backyard] at work.
We live in a world where food will have to be produced in ever greater quantities and if not here, then where? Not in my backyard?
Read the full story at SeafoodSource.com