Salmon farm impact on native species
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“Sea lice, though often framed primarily as a problem for wild Atlantic salmon, also have negative impacts on many other salmonid and non-salmonid wild fish populations. Notably, Atlantic salmon farms have a profound impact not just on the fitness of sea trout, but also on their behaviour, and the influence of high sea lice densities transmitted from farms is acting as a strong selection pressure against anadromy in brown trout. These phenomena are well documented in sea trout, but impacts of the sea lice cultivated and dispersed by salmon farms on populations of other wish species are often still emerging. In combination with warming oceans and degradation of aquatic habitats, this represents a serious threat to the fitness of not just Atlantic salmon, but other fish species that interact with aquaculture.”
The impacts of open net salmon farming on wild fish and their environment
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“Native fish are attracted to factory farms by lighting, feed and shelter. Some fish may remain on the periphery of the farm while others small enough to pass through the nets end up inside. Many wild fish, mostly herring, are killed during farm salmon harvesting, which suggests wild fish aren’t able to escape, becoming trapped inside due perhaps to increased body size as they grow inside the farm. Marine algae and animal growth may also clog the nets making it difficult for wild fish to find their way out.”
“In 2022, over 800,000 herring were killed [in British Columbia, Canada]. A wide variety of other fish species are killed, however, including hake, sablefish, Pacific cod, and wild salmon species, among others.”
“Wild fish are also killed when factory farms cull their fish during disease outbreaks. In 2012, two farms culled their fish due to a disease known as Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) and at least 405,000 herring were also killed in the process.”
Fish Farms Kill: The long history and heavy toll salmon farms have had on fish and wildlife
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“Experts with the Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research at the University of Concepcion [Chile] say the introduction of salmon can affect invertebrate organisms unique to the [‘Magellanes’] region like cold water corals and sponges.”