Salmon Farm Controversy

Hopsin · 08-03-2013 3:18pm #1

I guess I must have been living under a rock or something, because I just happened to stumble upon a video of the protests a few days ago in Galway and was stunned that I hadn't heard about these fish farm proposals before.

So whats the craic with this? Is it really that bad? The anti's would nearly have you believe that it will kill all the wild salmon in the country. :eek:

Chucken · 08-03-2013 3:25pm

Linky: http://www.bim.ie/our-work/projects/deep-sea-organic-salmon-farming/proposed-galway-bay-organic-salmon-farm/

Mr Benevolent · 08-03-2013 3:29pm

There's always some sort of feckin controversy, they seem to be getting more and more pathetic though. It used to be 'Chernobyl Controversy', now it's horse meat controversy.

Oh I'm so devastated by your salmon controversy btw.

Hopsin · 08-03-2013 3:35pm

Chucken wrote: »

Linky: http://www.bim.ie/our-work/projects/deep-sea-organic-salmon-farming/proposed-galway-bay-organic-salmon-farm/

I watched this. Im not really sure if its trustworthy. I think it could be similar to shell-gas thing with just a few hippies getting mad over nothing.

1ZRed · 08-03-2013 3:36pm

Do you like fishsticks?

Sky King · 08-03-2013 3:37pm

Sorry mistah - we only have sole!

Hardonraging · 08-03-2013 3:39pm

1ZRed wrote: »

Do you like fishsticks?

Gotta get me some of those Kenny west glasses dawg!!

so yea Salmon farming's bad, I know I've heard why, just cant remember, it's not as simple as, mo money mo problem's tho .. there were some eco concerns..

What's up with all the Fracking also ??

steddyeddy · 08-03-2013 3:45pm

Hopsin wrote: »

I guess I must have been living under a rock or something, because I just happened to stumble upon a video of the protests a few days ago in Galway and was stunned that I hadn't heard about these fish farm proposals before.

So whats the craic with this? Is it really that bad? The anti's would nearly have you believe that it will kill all the wild salmon in the country. :eek:

It's not the fact that fish are being killed that annoys most scientists but the fact that these farmed salmon can escape and effect wild populations.

ScumLord · 08-03-2013 3:47pm

Hopsin wrote: »

I watched this. Im not really sure if its trustworthy. I think it could be similar to shell-gas thing with just a few hippies getting mad over nothing.

A lot of fishermen in that video from the looks of things.

Farmed fish is the way forward. We have to make it work to preserve the natural fish stocks.

1ZRed · 08-03-2013 3:48pm

Hardonraging wrote: »

Gotta get me some of those Kenny west glasses dawg!!

Braaaaaahhh :cool:

AnonoBoy · 08-03-2013 3:53pm

Fish can't work on farms. They've got no thumbs.

stevie_b · 08-03-2013 4:01pm

Hopsin wrote: »

I watched this. Im not really sure if its trustworthy. I think it could be similar to shell-gas thing with just a few hippies getting mad over nothing.

Hopsin wrote: »

I guess I must have been living under a rock or something, because I just happened to stumble upon a video of the protests a few days ago in Galway and was stunned that I hadn't heard about these fish farm proposals before.

So whats the craic with this? Is it really that bad? The anti's would nearly have you believe that it will kill all the wild salmon in the country. :eek:

I'm not an anti or a hippy (quite the oppposite), but as someone who has followed the salmon farm debate from the start i would be strongly against. Sea-trout on the west coast were almost wiped out by previous farms. These farms are a disaster for wild fish stocks and the immediate ecosystem. From a recreational angling perspective no wild fish will mean no visiting anglers and a huge fall in tourism revenue which will greatly outweigh any benefit from the small number of jobs farms may create. I won't speculate on what effects (immediate and downstream) it would have on other areas but it wouldn't be positive.

Greed and money once again is behind it all. Dr. Ed Fahy's book is an interesting and frightening read for anyone interested - http://www.amazon.com/Overkill-euphoric-industrialise-fisheries-unravelling/dp/0957521804

Hopefully the public who don't have much interest in this debate won't view those opposing these farms as tree-huggers as its not the case. Personally as someone who enjoys shooting, angling, and the outdoors in general i think it would be disgraceful if one of our prized fish - the Salmon - was allowed to be to be wiped out this way.

Having seen what these salmon are fed i wouldn't touch them anyway - absolute muck.

ScumLord · 08-03-2013 4:07pm

stevie_b wrote: »

I'm not an anti or a hippy (quite the oppposite), but as someone who has followed the salmon farm debate from the start i would be strongly against. Sea-trout on the west coast were almost wiped out by previous farms. These farms are a disaster for wild fish stocks and the immediate ecosystem. From a recreational angling perspective no wild fish will mean no visiting anglers and a huge fall in tourism revenue which will greatly outweigh any benefit from the small number of jobs farms may create. I won't speculate on what effects (immediate and downstream) it would have on other areas but it wouldn't be positive.

Fish farming is more important than tourist fishing. What's happing with fish farms is humanities fight for survival. We are dredging the oceans of every living thing in it. Guys who go out to catch salmon catch everything, keep the salmon and throw the rest of the dead fish back into the sea. Fish farms allow us to selectively breed and kill what we need and no more.

We will destroy life in the oceans if we can't make fish farms work, the knock on effect would be the decimation of human populations.

If there are problems with the current farms all we need to do is fix them.

sorsha · 08-03-2013 4:12pm

I was looking for a wild salmon in Dunnes today -both smoked and fresh and no luck!

stevie_b · 08-03-2013 4:15pm

ScumLord wrote: »

Fish farming is more important than tourist fishing. What's happing with fish farms is humanities fight for survival. We are dredging the oceans of every living thing in it. Guys who go out to catch salmon catch everything, keep the salmon and throw the rest of the dead fish back into the sea. Fish farms allow us to selectively breed and kill what we need and no more.

We will destroy life in the oceans if we can't make fish farms work, the knock on effect would be the decimation of human populations.

If there are problems with the current farms all we need to do is fix them.

Sorry but i can't agree with you except for your last part. Commercial salmon fishermen do not have discards like commercials fishing for cod etc. You have to distinguish between the different types of commercial fishing and not lump them all together.

I do agree that if there are problems with the current farms we need to fix them. This means that these proposed farms shouldn't go ahead. Land based farms would be the way to go.

ScumLord · 08-03-2013 4:24pm

stevie_b wrote: »

Sorry but i can't agree with you except for your last part. Commercial salmon fishermen do not have discards like commercials fishing for cod etc. You have to distinguish between the different types of commercial fishing and not lump them all together.

There is a distinction but they still can't guarantee they'll catch salmon over any other fish.

I do agree that if there are problems with the current farms we need to fix them. This means that these proposed farms shouldn't go ahead. Land based farms would be the way to go.

Land based farms are expensive to run, this will make the fish to expensive to compete. At the end of the day the only concern for the consumer is price. The consumer drives everything. Unless the consumer is willing to pay more (and they never are) land based fish farms won't work.

Hardonraging · 08-03-2013 4:25pm

ScumLord wrote: »

We are dredging the oceans of every living thing in it.

Such is the curse that is man ...

G Power · 08-03-2013 4:27pm

Confab wrote: »

There's always some sort of feckin controversy, they seem to be getting more and more pathetic though. It used to be 'Chernobyl Controversy', now it's horse meat controversy.

Oh I'm so devastated by your salmon controversy btw.

yes and all these "contraversies" add up to a monumental clusterfcuk of such magnitude that the majority of people do the opposite of what is required of them by ignoring the issues or belittling them because there's so many issues. does not compute!!

G Power · 08-03-2013 4:27pm

Hopsin wrote: »

I think it could be similar to shell-gas thing with just a few hippies getting mad over nothing.

are you for real??

Sergeant · 08-03-2013 4:28pm

Farmed salmon really isn't that pleasant to eat. It's all a bit tasteless.

G Power · 08-03-2013 4:32pm

ScumLord wrote: »

We are dredging the oceans of every living thing in it.

not just the oceans

Clarehobo · 08-03-2013 4:49pm

ScumLord wrote: »

Fish farming is more important than tourist fishing. What's happing with fish farms is humanities fight for survival. We are dredging the oceans of every living thing in it. Guys who go out to catch salmon catch everything, keep the salmon and throw the rest of the dead fish back into the sea. Fish farms allow us to selectively breed and kill what we need and no more.

We will destroy life in the oceans if we can't make fish farms work, the knock on effect would be the decimation of human populations.

If there are problems with the current farms all we need to do is fix them.

Those problems won't be fixed and that is the big issue.
They shouldn't be putting fish farms off the west coast, endangering the local eco systems. It's not about tourist fishing, the crux of the matter is the danger to the local eco system. If they want a fish farm, they should come up with a better solution, like a man-made reservoir where they can control it's impact on the local environment and water, where it won't pollute and endanger native fish stocks.

ScumLord · 08-03-2013 4:53pm

Clarehobo wrote: »

Those problems won't be fixed and that is the big issue.
They shouldn't be putting fish farms off the west coast, endangering the local eco systems. It's not about tourist fishing, the crux of the matter is the danger to the local eco system. If they want a fish farm, they should come up with a better solution, like a man-made reservoir where they can control it's impact on the local environment and water, where it won't pollute and endanger native fish stocks.

The problem would be they have to recreate the environment, putting the cages into the sea saves a lot of money.

I think your all probably right but your combating your own desire to pick up the cheapest option in the supermarket. It won't happen. People won't pay the extra money. It might be easier and cheaper to find a solution to the ocean cages than it would be to convince people to pay an extra €2 for their bit of salmon.

stevie_b · 08-03-2013 5:12pm

ScumLord wrote: »

Land based farms are expensive to run, this will make the fish to expensive to compete. At the end of the day the only concern for the consumer is price. The consumer drives everything. Unless the consumer is willing to pay more (and they never are) land based fish farms won't work.

Yeah, at the end of the day it comes down to money. It's terrible, but it doesn't mean the proposed farms are the right thing to do. Personally i'm happy to pay the extra for good quality food

Robbo · 08-03-2013 5:13pm

stevie_b wrote: »

Having seen what these salmon are fed i wouldn't touch them anyway - absolute muck.

Soylent Green?

martin6651 · 08-03-2013 11:45pm

As a scuba diver in the West of Ireland for over 40 years I have seen what the fish farms have done to Killary Harbour Ireland's only natural fjord. Before they arrived into Killary the shell fish life was fantastic and an exciting place to dive, but the farm started and the shell fish life was destroyed. The crap and fish food that the salmon did not eat ended on the sea bed which introduced an infestation of brittle starfish which blanketed the area and nothing lives there anymore.
The same thing will happen In Galway Bay and as a daily all year round swimmer I don't want that to happen here. So I will do what I can to stop it happening.

kowloon · 08-03-2013 11:57pm

ScumLord wrote: »

We will destroy life in the oceans if we can't make fish farms work, the knock on effect would be the decimation of human populations.

If there are problems with the current farms all we need to do is fix them.

I'm pretty ignorant about fish farming (and the majority of things) but the above would be my line. We need to play the long game and come down heavy on the regulation side to make it work.

Chances are this won't happen and any planning beyond balancing the next budget will be very relaxed.

stevie_b · 09-03-2013 5:18pm

The Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages site lists some certain and some probable consequences of these farms - LINK

The sole aim for the movement is to stop the installation of the proposed huge Salmon Cages in Galway Bay. Should the Government, through the Minister for Agriculture Mr.Simon Coveney, allow the project to go ahead Galway Bay Prawns may be polluted to such an extent as to wipe out all fish life in the Bay or render them unsafe for human consumption.

We could see the end of the famous Galway & Clarinbridge Oyster Festivals; Galway Bay Prawns would disappear from the Menu of Hotels & Restaurants; Shrimp, Crab, Lobster and other shell fish may either be wiped out or rendered unsafe to eat. Boating, both for pleasure & fishing may be severely curtailed.Salmon and Seatrout from all the rivers flowing into Galway Bay - Clare River and Corrib system, Knock River at Furbo, Boluisce River at Spiddal, Owenriff River at Inverin, Crimlin River, Costello & Fermoyle River at Casla and Screebe River may probably be destroyed and their fish stocks destroyed resulting in an end to the much needed Tourism Angling. Galway would probably never again be able to host the Volvo Ocean Race.

With the resultant pollution from those Salmon Cages result in our beaches probably loosing their “Blue Flag Status” and make swimming in the Bay injurious to human health. The simple answer to most, if not all, of the above is yes.

I'd urge people to do what they can to oppose these farms now and not leave it to hindsight to realise that they were a big mistake.

Signing this petition only takes a few seconds - http://www.nosalmonfarmsatsea.com/how-you-can-help/petition/

Also, there is a good template for an objection letter to the government here - http://www.nosalmonfarmsatsea.com/how-you-can-help/submit-your-complaint/

starlings · 09-03-2013 5:42pm

stevie_b wrote: »

The Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages site lists some certain and some probable consequences of these farms - LINK

I'd urge people to do what they can to oppose these farms now and not leave it to hindsight to realise that they were a big mistake.

Signing this petition only takes a few seconds - http://www.nosalmonfarmsatsea.com/how-you-can-help/petition/

Also, there is a good template for an objection letter to the government here - http://www.nosalmonfarmsatsea.com/how-you-can-help/submit-your-complaint/

I really wish that the GBASC hadn't written that in such conditional language - probable, could, may etc. If they had cited problems in Killary Harbour for example, and projected the same based on the details of the proposed development, I'd be much more convinced.

bonerjams03 · 09-03-2013 5:54pm

Apologies for ignorance, but how do fish farms negatively affect the environment? How would they deplete wold fish stocks as mentioned above? Genuine question.

I was always under the impression fish farms were a good, viable and sustainable alternative to fishing.

Nodin · 09-03-2013 6:32pm

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Fish can't work on farms. They've got no thumbs.

...or fingers, because of Captain "butcher" Birdseye.

Salmon Farm Controversy

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