Tag Archives: Leo White
‘A reckless approach to regulation’ – Aquaculture critic presses for answers after another salmon die-off
More than 90,000 salmon being farmed in an open-net aquaculture pen on Newfoundland’s south coast died over the weekend, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture announced in a media release Saturday. The event occurred at a site known as “the gorge,” which is operated by Mowi’s Marine Harvest Atlantic Canada, and was caused by “sudden low dissolved oxygen levels.” The dead fish have been removed from the site. The release said mitigation measures, including deeper nets and aeration equipment, “improved survivability” during the die-off. Friday’s die-off was only the latest in a series of mortality events on Mowi-owned aquaculture farms, White noted. >click to read< 12:40
Leo White: Comparing open-net to recirculatory fish farming
In his letter, Cyr Couturier claims that open-net pen (ONP) aquaculture is alive and well in Newfoundland and Labrador and everywhere else. Nothing could be further from the truth.,,, In Norway, the birthplace of ONP technology, it is not possible to even get a licence to establish a new salmon aquaculture farm.,,,licences for Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), which are land-based, are free. Clearly in Norway RAS is seen as the future for farming Atlantic salmon. Meanwhile in N.L., access fees are negligible and salmon farmers pay nothing for the incredible damage and pollution they create. >click to read< 11:36
Fishery stakeholders unite to form organization aimed at keeping ocean aquaculture industry, government in check
The Newfoundland and Labrador Coalition for Aquaculture Reform (NL-CAR) brings together more than 20 organizations. They include environmental and conservation groups such as the Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (SCNL) and the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), First Nations groups like the Qalipu and Glenwood Mi’Kmak, as well as academics, scientists and special advisers. Leo White, vice-president of SCNL and one of the key organizers for NL-CAR, says the group is not anti-aquaculture.,, Among the key issues is that the industry is largely self-regulating and reporting information is voluntary, without any independent oversight.,, NL-CAR is also urging the government to explore more environmentally sustainable alternatives such as land-based farms or closed containment pens in an effort to avoid some of the hazards to the farmed fish and the existing wild fish. Read the article, Click here 16:05
