Chapter 13. Finding Resolution to Farmed Salmon Issues in Eastern North America

Summary

Abstract:

This chapter contains sections titled:

• As a result of pressures in both freshwater and marine environments, the number of wild Atlantic salmon returning to North American rivers declined from 1.5 million in 1975 to 350 000 in 2000. The situation is particularly acute in the southern range near the USA-Canada border where many of the populations now number fewer than 100 adult fish.

• Aquaculture, once thought to be the saving grace of declining salmon populations, is now accused of being a significant threat to the restoration of wild salmon stocks in eastern North America. The industry's exponential growth and associated growing pains are the subject of a hot public debate.

• A strict regulatory approach has failed to safeguard the wild populations while clouding the future of the salmon farming industry. This air of uncertainty has led to direct talks between salmon farmers and the environmental community on common areas of interest such as fish containment and disease. This collaborative approach has yielded more progress in the past year than previously attempted regulatory solutions. At the same time, outstanding issues remain. There is a need for further collaboration on issues including bay management plans and the establishment of exclusion zones near critical salmon rivers.

• The ability of these groups to resolve these problems and to gain acceptance in the regulatory arena will require additional sacrifices. The salmon farmers must recognize their possible impacts on wild salmon populations while the environmental groups need to recognize the industry is not going away. Ultimately, a coherent, regulatory structure based on a model of collaborative resolution may well be the only way to safeguard and possibly restore the beleaguered Atlantic salmon stocks of Maine and southern Canada.