Saving Seafood

A Sign Your Fish Might Be on Drugs: Risky Behavior

April 11, 2025 — It has to be stressful: an obstacle course of giant dams, rushing rapids and hungry predators.

That’s what juvenile salmon can face when they migrate out to the salty sea from the freshwater rivers and streams where they hatched. But it turns out that a very specific kind of pollution might be giving some fish an edge, at least on part of the journey.

According to a new study published on Thursday in the journal Science, young salmon exposed to anti-anxiety drugs in the water made it past dams faster. But ecologists are doubtful that it means a survival advantage.

Pharmaceutical pollution is rampant. Nearly 1,000 drugs and their byproducts have been detected in the world’s waterways, including in surprising places like Antarctica. They enter the environment as direct pollution from drug producers, from people flushing unused medications, and from human and animal waste.

Scientists have been studying the effects of these drugs on wildlife for years, but there is still much to learn about how animals respond to the “cocktail of different pharmaceuticals” they’re exposed to, said Michael G. Bertram, a behavioral ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and a leader of the new study.

Read the full article at The New York Times

WASHINGTON: US state of Washington reaffirms ban on net pen aquaculture

January 8, 2025 — The State Board of Natural Resources for the U.S. state of Washington has voted to finalize a ban on finfish farming in state waters, codifying a ban that was first implemented unilaterally in 2022.

Momentum for a state ban on net pen aquaculture grew after the 2017 collapse of a Cypress Island fish farm operated by aquaculture company Cooke, which released hundreds of thousands of Atlantic salmon into state waters. Cooke was fined for the collapse, and ultimately, the state legislature passed a law ending Atlantic salmon farming in the state.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Advancing International Atlantic Salmon Conservation by Engaging Indigenous Peoples

November 1, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Atlantic salmon hold, and have held for thousands of years, cultural and subsistence value to many Indigenous Peoples across the North Atlantic for thousands of years. Indigenous Peoples maintain tremendous knowledge passed down through generations, and this body of knowledge continues to evolve and grow. NOAA Fisheries collaborates with indigenous communities to enhance knowledge and improve Atlantic salmon restoration efforts, including our work with Wabanaki Nations on Atlantic salmon restoration. However, engagement in international efforts has been limited—until now.

International Cooperation to Conserve Salmon

The Atlantic salmon that are born and spawn in Maine rivers, traverse long distances— spanning borders and cultures—across the North Atlantic to the west coast of Greenland. There, they share feeding grounds with salmon from Canadian and southern European rivers. We need to work collectively to share knowledge that will support management decisions to support Atlantic salmon, their native habitats, and the many cultures that depend on them.

Established in 1984, the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) is a regional fisheries management organization composed of:

  • Canada
  • Denmark (in respect to the Faroe Islands and Greenland)
  • European Union
  • Iceland
  • Norway
  • Russian Federation
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

These countries have come together to conserve, restore, and sustainably manage Atlantic salmon through international cooperation. In 2022, the participating countries recognized the importance of including Indigenous Knowledge and perspective in international efforts. They agreed to prioritize enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples in NASCO. At their 2023 annual meeting, they invited Indigenous Peoples throughout the North Atlantic to share their perspectives and roles in Atlantic salmon conservation. NASCO repeatedly heard about the need to include—and the benefits from including—Indigenous voices and perspectives and Indigenous Knowledge, into their decision-making processes. Incorporating these voices and knowledge systems would lead to better informed conservation decisions.

The United States was excited to learn more about how to best enhance Indigenous engagement in NASCO. We invited discussion on this topic with federally recognized tribes in New England. We heard perspectives from representatives of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Penobscot Nation, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik. We then advocated for independent participation in NASCO by all interested indigenous communities. NASCO rules now allow representatives from all tribes to participate in meetings, committees, and working groups.

“The Penobscot Nation is very excited to engage in discussions at this level with NASCO members to take care of our relative, the Atlantic salmon, throughout their entire range. There is a depth of indigenous knowledge that has been absent from management discussions on the U.S. side since the inception of NASCO. Although some of our partners have done well at trying to communicate for us, there is no replacement for direct discussions with each of the Wabanaki nations,” commented Chuck Loring, Director of Penobscot Nation’s Department of Natural Resources.Image

Moving Forward Together

This unprecedented decision makes NASCO the first regional fisheries management organization in the world to formally recognize and incorporate Indigenous Peoples into their work. “NOAA Fisheries is committed to honoring the unique relationship we have with Tribal Nations,” said Shannon Dionne, head of the U.S. delegation to NASCO and NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region. “The rules that NASCO adopted in June are a significant step forward towards inclusivity and representation and strengthen our ability to conserve and responsibly manage Atlantic salmon. We look forward to strengthening our relationships with Indigenous Peoples in this forum as we work together on these important issues.”

MAINE: How Canada salmon farmer Cooke became one of Washington County’s largest employers

October 2, 2024 — Cooke Inc., an aquaculture company based in New Brunswick and led by CEO Glenn Cooke, has operated salmon farms and hatcheries in Maine as Cooke USA for two decades.

One of Washington County’s largest employers, Cooke supplies farmed Atlantic salmon throughout New England and the U.S.

“Cooke, and salmon aquaculture in general, is woven into the fabric of Washington County’s economy,” said Chris Gardner, executive director of the Eastport Port Authority and chairman of the Washington County Commission.

Read the full article at Mainebiz

Skin cell discovery could help Atlantic salmon fend off sea lice

August 16, 2024 — Scientists at the Institute of Aquaculture are central to a study that could hold the key to improving Atlantic salmon’s resistance to sea lice. The parasites—which feed on the fish’s skin and fins, causing open wounds that can lead to infection—reduce the market value of farmed fish and can have knock-on impacts on wild salmon populations.

Various treatments have been developed to tackle  infestations in Atlantic salmon aquaculture—which costs the industry more than £700m a year—but these are often costly and ineffective. They can also be damaging to the environment and negatively affect animal welfare.

The new study reveals insights into how coho salmon—a cousin of Atlantic salmon—fight off the parasites, and it could pave the way for new genetic approaches. The findings are published in the journal BMC Biology.

Findings show a type of skin cell—known as keratinocyte—plays a key role in triggering localized swelling that helps coho salmon kill and remove sea lice.

Read the full article at phys.org

MAINE: World weighs in on fate of 4 Maine dams blocking passage of endangered salmon

June 10, 2024 — The fate of four dams in Maine that are hindering the migration of wild Atlantic salmon and other sea-run fish has drawn international attention after federal regulators gave preliminary approval in March to relicense one dam and require all four to improve fish passages, moves that will allow the dams to operate for several more decades.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, pitting the potential survival of a species against business interests. Maine is the only U.S. state where wild Atlantic salmon have survived in a few rivers, including the Kennebec and Penobscot. That is forcing parties involved to weigh whether the dams are producing enough electricity to justify ongoing operations now that alternative energies including solar and wind are coming online.

Environmentalists and others are advocating for removal of the four dams on the Kennebec River to give the best chance for wild Atlantic salmon, which are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, to repopulate. Their numbers have dwindled from about 200,000 before the dams were built to fewer than 2,000 now.

Read the full article at Bangor Daily News

MAINE: Katahdin Salmon secures essential permits for planned Maine-based RAS, plans rebranding

May 15, 2024 — Katahdin Salmon has obtained every critical permit needed to construct a salmon recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Millinocket, Maine, U.S.A.

The project, started by Xcelerate Aqua in October 2022 and announced in February 2023, aims to build a 10,000-metric-ton (MT) salmon RAS on the site of a former settling lagoon at the Great Northern Paper Co. paper mill. Xcelerate Aqua was founded by former Nordic Aquafarms President and Co-Founder Erik Heim and former Nordic Aquafarms Executive Vice President Marianne Naess.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Chilean government, salmon farmers join forces in push to reduce antibiotics usage

March 26, 2024 — Eleven salmon farmers in Chile, together with the Salmon Council, SalmonChile’s Salmon Technological Institute (Intesal) and with the support of Aquabench, have joined forces with the Chilean government’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) to work collaboratively towards increasing vaccines to prevent bacterial diseases and reduce the use of antibiotics.

The parties hailed the so-called “Yelcho Project” as the first public-private partnership of its kind between salmon companies, SAG, and Sernapesca. The salmon farmers participating include Aquachile, Australis Mar, Blumar, Camanchaca, Cermaq, Cultivos Yadran, Marine Farm, Mowi, Multi X, Salmones Austral, Ventisqueros, and Aquabench, which account for nearly 90 percent of Atlantic salmon production in Chile.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Cooke begins harvesting Chile’s first organically farmed Atlantic salmon

March 26, 2024 — Cooke Chile, the Chilean aquaculture branch of Canadian seafood firm Cooke, has begun to harvest what it says is the country’s first organically farmed Atlantic salmon.

The organic salmon has been certified under regulations from the European Commission and Great Britain for sale in the European Union. The company said production will initially make up a quarter of Cooke’s total salmon production in Chile.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

MAINE: There are glimmers of Atlantic salmon success in Maine

March 12, 2024 — “Chase the fish, boy. Yer down to the backin’. Chase the fish,” shouted my guide.

The Medalist reel sang as the 9-weight line wound off the spool with authority. The tip of the Sage fly rod pulsated as the 18-pound Atlantic salmon lived up to its reputation, leaping and twisting above the frothing waters of the Upsalquitch River.

The dance of this powerful silver game fish took my breath away. My heart pounded. As instructed, I chased the fighting fish downriver stumbling and banging my knees on the slippery stream-side stones.

Read the full article at Bangor Daily News