Can Farmed and Wild Salmon Coexist?

Liza Gross

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060046

Abstract

When the cod industry off Canada's eastern shore collapsed in 1992, industrial fisheries could no longer ignore biologists' warnings that the ocean would not sustain unlimited exploitation of its fish stocks. But a nearly 5-fold increase in global marine catch over four decades had already taken its toll, placing the persistence of scores of the sea's giant predators—long-lived species that take several years to reach sexual maturity, like bluefin tuna, halibut, and sharks—in serious jeopardy. Many organizations, including the World Bank, saw aquaculture (raising fish in ponds or open net pens in bays) as the best way to relieve pressure on depleted wild populations while meeting consumer demand. Aquaculture now accounts for over 30% of the world's fish market and about half of store-bought salmon.

Highlights

When the cod industry off Canada’s eastern shore collapsed in 1992, industrial fisheries could no longer ignore biologists’ warnings that the ocean would not sustain unlimited exploitation of its fish stocks
The solution once hailed as a panacea has come under increasing fire for polluting coastal waters and threatening wild populations
A study published in December, coauthored by Ford and Myers, found that wild pink salmon populations north of Vancouver Island suffered recurrent louse infestations and population declines in association with salmon farms

Summary

Introduction

When the cod industry off Canada’s eastern shore collapsed in 1992, industrial fisheries could no longer ignore biologists’ warnings that the ocean would not sustain unlimited exploitation of its fish stocks. Many organizations, including the World Bank, saw aquaculture (raising fish in ponds or open net pens in bays) as the best way to relieve pressure on depleted wild populations while meeting consumer demand.

Results

Conclusion