Saving Seafood

  • Home
  • News
    • Alerts
    • Conservation & Environment
    • Council Actions
    • Economic Impact
    • Enforcement
    • International & Trade
    • Law
    • Management & Regulation
    • Regulations
    • Nutrition
    • Opinion
    • Other News
    • Safety
    • Science
    • State and Local
  • News by Region
    • New England
    • Mid-Atlantic
    • South Atlantic
    • Gulf of Mexico
    • Pacific
    • North Pacific
    • Western Pacific
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Fishing Terms Glossary

MAINE: Salmon restoration project hits milestone

November 11, 2022 โ€” With the recent release of 300 mature Atlantic salmon into the upper reaches of the East Branch of the Penobscot River, the state of Maine has taken another step forward in its effort to restore the critically endangered species.

The release was a milestone in a three-year project designed to increase the number of Atlantic salmon that spawn in the favorable habitat of the East Branch.

โ€œThe East Branch of the Penobscot has lots of high-quality habitat for Atlantic salmon, but mortality in both the marine and freshwater environments prevents many from reaching it,โ€ said Department of Marine Resources (DMR) scientist and project lead Danielle Frechette.

โ€œOne of the best ways to help Atlantic salmon move towards recovery is to have more adults spawning in this high quality, but largely vacant habitat.โ€

Read the full article at The Ellsworth American

Gene-editing of salmon being studied in Norway

September 15, 2022 โ€” Researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway, have used the CRISPR/Cas9 method of gene editing to produce salmon that cannot produce gametes (eggs and sperm), so cannot reproduce.

If produced for commercial purposes, any escaped fish would be unable to breed with the wild salmon population. They would also not experience the issue of early sexual maturation, which can lead to poor meat quality and greater susceptibility to disease, according to Lene Kleppe, a researcher working on the project.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

โ€˜Salmon Warsโ€™ in the media undermines sustainability

September 8, 2022 โ€” To promote their new book, Salmon Wars, the Dark Underbelly of our Favorite Fish, writers Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins published an article attacking salmon aquaculture in Time Magazine. The article, 3 Reasons to Avoid Farmed Salmon, recommended that readers completely avoid all open net pen-reared Atlantic salmon. โ€œFarmed Atlantic salmon from open-net pens is off our menu and should be off yours,โ€ they concluded.

The seafood industry and sustainable aquaculture advocates were quick to rebut, with the National Fisheries Institute and the National Aquaculture Association posting a thorough fact check last week. Saving Seafood and industry expert Jennifer Bushman also added her frustrations.

Read the full article at Sustainable Fisheries

New โ€˜Salmon Warsโ€™ Book Is Full of Fictions. Here Are the Facts.

July 28, 2022 โ€” Earlier this month, Macmillan Publishers released Salmon Wars, by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins, which the publisher describes as a โ€œdeep diveโ€ into the farm-raised salmon industry. After extensively reviewing the book, Saving Seafood has identified numerous falsehoods and misrepresentations.

Aquaculture farming of finfish, shellfish, and seaweed is a key industry in many U.S. states that operates within strict regulations to provide good jobs locally and healthy, sustainable protein for the world. Maine, for example, has active ocean salmon farming operations, with Atlantic salmon raised in coastal net pens since the 1970s. Maine farms comply with clean water and pollution discharge regulations, do not use antibiotics or hormones as growth promoters, conduct and report environmental effects, and have not experienced an escape of fish since 2003. All farms are monitored by multiple regulatory and management agencies and are certified by third-party environmental programs that establish standards above those required by law. The industry has been represented by the Maine Aquaculture Association since 1978.

Farm-raised salmon operations off Black Island, Maine.

Governor Janet Mills has expressed strong support for Maineโ€™s growing aquaculture sector. โ€œAquaculture represents a promising opportunity to create new jobs, strengthen and diversify our economy, and expand Maineโ€™s reputation as a premier destination for seafood,โ€ Governor Mills said at a roundtable in May. โ€œI have been proud to support Maine sea farmers as they overcome the pandemic, and my Administration will continue to support the responsible growth of this industry as it creates new jobs and builds on the strong foundation of our marine economy.โ€

Consumers have the right to choose what foods they eat. They also have the right to make informed decisions based on unbiased facts. Here are 10 fictions spread by Salmon Wars and the real facts behind them.

FICTION: Farmed salmon are crammed into cages.

FACT: Salmon occupy less than 4 percent of a typical marine cage. Farmers intentionally keep stocking densities low so fish have room to swim, grow, and mimic natural schooling patterns.

Farmers take great care to ensure the well-being of their salmon. Fish are vaccinated against several diseases, and pristine marine cage conditions are ensured with proper siting, regular fallowing (leaving sites unused), underwater cameras, and diver inspections.

FICTION: Farmed salmon are doused with pesticides and antibiotics.

FACT: Antibiotic use on salmon farms is far lower than that of any other agricultural animal producing industry in the world. In the rare instances when treatment is necessary, it is prescribed and overseen by licensed veterinarians under the oversight of government regulators.

FICTION: Farmed salmon contain dangerous levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other contaminants.

FACT: Farm-raised salmon contain lower PCB levels than other common foods like beef, chicken, eggs, and butter, as well as most species of wild salmon. The trace amounts of PCBs in farm-raised salmon do not pose a threat to human health, and meet or exceed standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the World Health Organization. A 2007 study concluded that โ€œregular consumption of these fish would not cause tolerable [PCB] daily intakes to be exceeded.โ€

The 2004 study cited repeatedly in the book has been heavily criticized for errors including flawed sampling, improper application of EPA guidelines, and failing to compare contaminant levels in salmon of the same species. But even that flawed study showed PCB levels well-below regulated levels. Citing that study also ignores nearly 20 years of progress as PCB levels โ€” already low โ€” have only continued to decline with the introduction of new feed ingredients.

Because farm-raised salmon is a fast-growing fish, there is little accumulation of other contaminants like mercury that can affect some types of seafood.

FICTION: Farms create toxic stews underneath them that drive away marine life.

FACT: Farmers know that pristine marine conditions are essential for high-quality salmon. When salmon farms are properly sited in deep, fast-moving waters, the massive ocean space quickly assimilates organic fish waste. Natural assimilation of organic waste is known to be a best solution from an environmental perspective. Lobsters thrive around salmon farms and catch landings remain strong in Canada and the U.S.

Farmers also use underwater cameras to properly disperse feed, carefully monitor the ocean bottom, and fallow sites (leave them unused) โ€” all best practices that help ensure pristine marine conditions. Regulations do not allow salmon farms to continue operating if the space beneath them has been significantly impacted.

FICTION: Farmers pillage wild fisheries to create marine ingredients used in salmon feeds. For example, โ€œoverfishingโ€ from the Gulf of Mexico to the Chesapeake Bay endangers a forage fish called menhaden.

FACT: Wild marine ingredients in salmon feed are critical to delivering high quality protein and indispensable nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. However, marine ingredients comprise as low as 20 percent of salmon feed, and that number continues to drop. Today, a pound of wild marine ingredients produces more than a pound of farm-raised salmon, ensuring the sector is a net producer of fish.

The wild marine ingredients that are used are sourced from reputable fisheries certified by third-party organizations and/or actively participating in Fishery Improvement Projects. For example, contrary to the bookโ€™s claims, U.S. menhaden is โ€œnot overfished or experiencing overfishing,โ€ according to fishery managers, and is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.

FICTION: Between 15 and 20 percent of all farmed salmon die each year before being harvested, while the average mortality rate of chickens is 5 percent.

FACT: This data ignores the return rate of Atlantic salmon in the wild, which is as low as 5 percent. That means farm-raised salmon have a survival rate 17 times higher than wild salmon over the two-year period in which they are raised. Broiler chickens typically live for less than 2 months, making this an apples to oranges comparison at best.

FICTION: Farmed salmon spread sea lice to wild salmon, killing young wild salmon in large numbers.

FACT: Salmon farms were not found to influence levels of sea lice on wild fish, according to a 2021 report. Farmers are required, under regulation, to manage sea lice to low levels. They employ a strategic approach to combatting sea lice, combining preventative farming practices like fallowing and low stocking densities with approved treatments when necessary. They are also investing millions into research and development of โ€œgreenโ€ sea lice treatment technologies, including freshwater well boats, warm water and water pressure systems, broodstock development, and โ€œcleanerโ€ fish.

FICTION: Farmed salmon introduced Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) and Piscine Orthoreovirus (PRV) to wild sockeye salmon in the Pacific Northwest.

FACT: Neither ISA nor PRV were introduced to the Pacific Northwest by farm-raised salmon. In 2011, tests conducted by government researchers concluded there were no cases of ISA in Pacific Northwest salmon. Cases of PRV in wild salmon predate the arrival of farm-raised salmon, with a 2015 study finding PRV in Pacific Northwest salmon as far back as the 1970s. PRV and ISA do not affect human health in any way.

FICTION: Farmed salmon and wild salmon frequently interbreed, producing hybrids that weaken wild salmon populations.

FACT: Farmers are highly motivated to prevent their stock from escaping, and today escape events are rare. There are many reasons that farm-raised salmon are unlikely to interbreed with wild salmon, or generally compete with them for resources should they escape their enclosures. Farm-raised salmon, being domestic animals, are poorly suited to a wild environment and generally do not survive long enough in the wild to breed or learn to seek prey. On the west coast of the U.S. and Canada, farm-raised Atlantic salmon are genetically distinct from wild Pacific salmon, making them extremely unlikely to interbreed.

For context, over 5 billion salmon are purposely released from aquaculture facilities around the world โ€” a practice known as โ€œenhancementโ€ or โ€œocean ranchingโ€ โ€” and do share ocean space with wild salmon.

FICTION: Like โ€œBig Tobaccoโ€ and โ€œBig Agribusiness,โ€ โ€œBig Fishโ€ employs counter-science and public relations campaigns to undermine challenges.

FACT: Farmers participate in studies because it is their salmon and nutritional data that help power them, and because they are committed to adhering to best science in their practices. Cherry picking science to support a narrative is not a best practice. Farmers consider all reputable scientific findings to guide their operations.

MAINE: American Aquafarms says, โ€œWeโ€™re not going anywhereโ€

June 2, 2022 โ€” American Aquafarms has appealed a recent decision by the Maine Department of Marine Resources to terminate two lease applications for a proposed salmon farm in Frenchman Bay.

The DMR terminated the Norwegian-back companyโ€™s applications to grow 66 million pounds of Atlantic salmon annually at two sites near Bald Ledge and Long Porcupine Island because American Aquafarms โ€œfailed to fulfill its legal obligation to demonstrate an available source of fish to be cultivated at its proposed salmon farms in Frenchman Bay,โ€ according to a statement released by DMR on April 20.

American Aquafarms is asking the court to vacate the DMRโ€™s decision and send the applications back to the department for continued consideration. The DMR, in a statement, said it stands behind its decision to terminate the lease applications.

The reason for termination, according to the DMR, lies in the proposed egg stock that American Aquafarms had listed in its application. โ€œThe source of Atlantic salmon proposed by American Aquafarms, AquaBounty of Newfoundland, Canada, did not meet the criteria for a โ€˜Qualified Source/Hatcheryโ€™ as defined in DMR regulations,โ€ and that the company โ€œfailed to provide documentation demonstrating that the proposed source of fish/eggs could meet genetic requirements in law.โ€

Read the full story at the Ellsworth American

Frenchman Bay salmon farm developer sues Maine for spiking its lease application

May 31, 2022 โ€” The company behind a controversial plan to build an industrial-scale salmon farm in Frenchman Bay is taking its case to court after the Maine Department of Marine Resources terminated its lease application last month.

American Aquafarms filed a complaint against the state in Cumberland County Superior Court last week. The Portland company, funded by Norwegian investors, proposed raising 66 million pounds of Atlantic salmon annually at two closed, 15-pen sites in Frenchman Bay, between Bar Harbor and Gouldsboro, with each pen encompassing 60 acres. The company also proposed operating a fish processing plant in Gouldsboro.

In its complaint, American Aquafarms alleges that the departmentโ€™s decision was not supported by evidence. It also claims that the department spoke with a third party without its knowledge just days before the decision, violating American Aquafarmsโ€™ right to due process.

The stateโ€™s marine regulatory body terminated the application April 19. There were two major issues with it, said Jeff Nichols, department spokesperson.

First, the company failed to find a proper source for its fish eggs, according to Patrick Keliher, commissioner of the department. The hatchery listed in the application, AquaBounty in Newfoundland, is not on Maineโ€™s list of qualified egg sources.

American Aquafarms also failed to show that the proposed hatchery satisfied genetic requirements mandated by state law, Keliher said.

Read the full story at the Portland Press Herald

Maine dam owner to make changes to try to save salmon

May 3, 2022 โ€” The owner of hydroelectric dams in Maine said Monday itโ€™s going to make changes to some of its operations to try to help save the final remaining wild Atlantic salmon in the United States.

The countryโ€™s last wild populations of the fish are found in a few Maine rivers. Salmon counters found fewer of the fish on one of those rivers, the Penobscot, last year than in any year since 2016.

Brookfield Renewable U.S. said Monday that it has begun shutdown procedures for dams on the lower Kennebec River to help the salmon migrate. The company is a subsidiary of a larger Canadian company that owns many dams in Maine.

Read the full story at AP News

MAINE: American Aquafarms project terminated

April 28, 2022 โ€” American Aquafarmsโ€™ plan to raise 66 million Atlantic salmon in Frenchman Bay seems to be dead in the water. But the broad citizensโ€™ coalition, which swelled to include all seven Frenchman Bay towns, the Downeast lobster fishery, Acadia National Park, MDI Biological Laboratory and several land trusts, has kept a steady spotlight trained on the issue for a year and is very much alive. 

In fact, Frenchman Bay United is prepared to challenge industrial-scale fish farming in Maine coastal waters in light of the departments of Marine Resources and Environmental Protectionโ€™s decisions late last week to terminate the Norwegian-backed companyโ€™s project that would have involved discharging 4.1 billion gallons of diluted wastewater into the 14-mile bay.  

For over a year Frenchman Bay United, a coast-wide coalition of four groups, has led an aggressive public campaign to oppose American Aquafarmsโ€™ proposed operation to farm salmon at 15-pen sites off Bald Rock Ledge and Long Porcupine Island. Its members offered scientific data suggesting the farmโ€™s discharged wastewater would largely remain rather than exit Frenchman Bay and potentially harm fragile marine plants, ecosystems and the lobster, shrimp and scallop fisheries. They staged a 125-boat flotilla of lobster-fishing boats, kayakers and sailors last August in Frenchman Bay as a form of protest and other events to draw attention to the controversial project first proposed in mid-fall of 2020. 

Read the full story at the Mount Desert Islander

American Aquafarms expected to take a โ€˜pauseโ€™ to figure out future of salmon farm

April 22, 2022 โ€” The future of one of the most controversial aquaculture proposals in Maine history remains uncertain after its application was cut short by state regulators this week.

An official at American Aquafarms said the Norwegian-backed company that wanted to grow Atlantic salmon in nets pens in Frenchman Bay would likely consider its options following the Department of Marine Resourcesโ€™ termination of its lease applications.

โ€œThe DMR response is perplexing to say the least, and the way it has been communicated is a surprise,โ€ Thomas Brennan, American Aquafarmsโ€™ director of project development, wrote in a brief email Thursday. โ€œI expect the company owners are taking a pause to understand what this all means for the future.โ€

The Maine Department of Marine Resources said Wednesday it would no longer review the companyโ€™s application for two 60-acre leases off Gouldsboro because American Aquafarms had failed to select an approved salmon egg source.

Read the full story at the Bangor Daily News

โ€˜Thereโ€™s no fish that you canโ€™t make deliciousโ€™

April 6, 2022 โ€” Walking into Fearless Fish, a small market in Providence specializing in local seafood, is like walking into Tiffanyโ€™s. The showcases dazzle the eye.

Thereโ€™s familiar fare, like Atlantic salmon, haddock, and sea scallops. Thereโ€™s also a riveting range of fish that are relatively mysterious, curios like scup, butterfish, pollack, Acadian redfish, conger eel, and monkfish. While abundant in our waters, these so-called โ€œunderutilizedโ€ species โ€” less known to New Englanders, less tasted, less in demand โ€” are often exported to countries that apparently appreciate them much more than we do.

Most of the regionโ€™s Atlantic dogfish, for instance, goes to England for fish and chips. โ€œItโ€™s crazy,โ€ said Chris Cronin, the chef at Union Flats Seafood in New Bedford, who prefers โ€œuniqueโ€ fish to the familiar. โ€œDogfish is pretty mild, slightly sweet with a flakey texture comparable to haddock. It takes on other flavors, and I like to serve it with citrus notes.โ€

Since Fearless Fish opened in early 2019, owner Stuart Meltzerโ€™s main aim has been to try and broaden the consumer palate. โ€œWe want to help people become more confident, to try new fish,โ€ he said one noontime, as mostly younger customers streamed through the door. The pandemic-driven interest in local foods has been good for sales, he noted, inspiring more daring in home kitchens. Skate piccata? Roasted mackerel with chimichurri? The storeโ€™s online recipes and cooking lessons help to demystify lesser-known fish, as does its disclosure of catch site and means. โ€œFluke, Pt. Judith, dragger.โ€ โ€œMonkfish, Gulf of Maine, dragger.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s important to me, and shared by customers, that the product is local,โ€ said Meltzer.

Read the full story at the Boston Globe

  • ยซ Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • โ€ฆ
  • 14
  • Next Page ยป

Recent Headlines

  • ALASKA: Alaska hatchery operators warn against proposed 25 percent cut in egg take
  • US ports will see elevated import volume and costs despite averted strike, experts say
  • DELAWARE: Carney, DNREC agree to $128M in wind-power benefits
  • MAINE: State of Maine sides with lobstermen, decides to pull minimum lobster size rule
  • Microplastics found in many of Oregonโ€™s most popular fish
  • โ€˜Driving whales crazy.โ€™ Mixed reactions as Trump links wind energy to whale deaths
  • Reminder: Applications for Scientific and Statistical Committee Due January 17
  • ALASKA: USDA purchases $50M in Alaska pollock, aiding fisheries and food banks

Most Popular Topics

Alaska Aquaculture ASMFC Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission BOEM California China Climate change Coronavirus COVID-19 Donald Trump groundfish Gulf of Maine Gulf of Mexico Illegal fishing IUU fishing Lobster Maine Massachusetts Mid-Atlantic National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NEFMC New Bedford New England New England Fishery Management Council New Jersey New York NMFS NOAA NOAA Fisheries North Atlantic right whales North Carolina North Pacific offshore energy Offshore wind Pacific right whales Salmon Scallops South Atlantic Western Pacific Whales wind energy Wind Farms

Daily Updates & Alerts

Enter your email address to receive daily updates and alerts:
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Tweets by @savingseafood

Copyright ยฉ 2025 Saving Seafood ยท WordPress Web Design by Jessee Productions

Notifications