Aquaculture endangers wild fish

According to recent research led by Professor Rosamond L. Naylor of Stanford University in California, USA, more than 50% of fish consumed by humans now comes from fish farms, or aquaculture.

The report, authored by Dr. Naylor and other international scientists, indicated that between 1995 and 2007, production of farmed fish around the world nearly tripled in volume.

However, along with the rise in aquaculture has been a corresponding increase in fish meal used to feed the farmed fish, with five pounds of wild fish being consumed, for instance, for every pound of farmed salmon produced. Even vegetarian fish such as Chinese carp and tilapia are now given fish meal garnered from wild ocean fish, thus furthering endangering species such as anchovies and sardines.

The researchers warn that this exponential rise of aquaculture, once thought to relieve pressure from depleting wild fish, is now being seen as an additional threat to their survival.

Dr. Naylor and international team of scientists, we appreciate your factual account of the true cost of farmed fish. May we all be reminded that our planet depends on the oceans’ vibrant life and choose from the wide assortment of healthful and delicious plant-based foods. Concerned for our fragile ecosphere, Supreme Master Ching Hai highlighted again the critical need for the more considerate care of our fish co-inhabitants during a May 2009 videoconference in Togo.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Fish farms are like on-land factory farms. They have similar problems environmentally, with impacts that include polluting the bodies of waters. The farmed fish are contained in big netted areas off the ocean shores with uneaten food, fish waste, antibiotics, or other drugs and chemicals that pass into the surrounding waters where they harm our ecosystems and pollute our drinking sources.

Depleting wild fish stocks also. Fish like salmon that are eaten by humans are usually fed huge amounts of other fish like anchovies. This practice also endangers sea animals, like sea lions and birds

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Fish are God’s creations that we should also care for, respect, protect, not to eat. We should be looking for ways to help the fish, to protect them and all the marine life from the devastating effects of climate change. Once we start thinking in this way, we are in a better position for ourselves, for the fish and for the planet.

http://www.naturalnews.com/028059_salmon_fish_stocks.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162320.htm
http://www.ratical.com/renewables/TherapHoil.html

Fish farming destroys marine wildlife

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has reported a dramatic rise in sea louse, a parasite that infects salmon, is causing great concern in Norway as its populations triple in the crowded fish farms of the Norwegian fjords over the past year alone. Besides killing the farmed fish, environmentalists fear that this organism will further decimate already weakened wild salmon whose numbers have been reduced by half in the past decades.

Meanwhile, a 23-year Finnish study has concluded that lethal strains of the bacteria Columnaris have developed in the confined conditions of ocean fish farms. This infection destroys the skin, fins, and gills of fish and is currently the leading cause of their death. With infected farmed fish that sometimes escape or are let loose by fish farmers who wish to avoid fines and costly clean-up, wild fish are thus being subjected to an increasing number of virulent diseases that originate from factory farms.

Norwegian Food Safety Authority, we appreciate and share your concern for the well-being of wild fish and ocean life. May we all realize the damaging nature of meat and fish consumption and opt quickly for the life-enhancing vegan diet.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has often spoken of the tolls endured by the Earth’s animal inhabitants, addressing our need to halt the devastating practice of fishing as during a November 2008 interview with Ireland’s East Coast Radio FM.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: We have to stop it. Just stop the fishing. The government has to forbid fishing because it’s too important to our survival to delay any further. To stop this destructive practice of fishing, the solution is the vegan diet, no fishy stuff in our meals. The sea offers us plenty of better food choices; the wide varieties of super healthy and nutritious sea plants. We can even live on it forever. We must protect a living and healthy sea, as it relates to our living and healthy self.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027809_farmed_fish_disease.html
http://www.wildforsalmon.com/aboutscokeye.html
http://users.jyu.fi/~pukaan/
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4955477
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1803174/norwegian_salmon_affected_by_lice/