The timing of the release of the latest, totally independent report from the consultants Ekosgen commissioned by Marine Scotland is almost as odd as the terms of the report itself. In the accompanying release we find the following:
"The aquaculture industry contributes to the long-term viability of many communities, according to a new report.
Commissioned by Marine Scotland, the report found the sector provides year-round, well-paid jobs and supports economic growth in rural, coastal and island areas."
Nowhere in the report is there any attempt to assess the long term damage that open sea cage aquaculture does to the marine environment. It is now known that the process is simply inconsistent with the survival of other target species that might support other parts of our fragile coastal micro-economies, such as lobsters and crabs, which being crustaceans are killed off just as effectively as are the sea lice the industry is determined to eradicate. Oysters and mussels cannot be marketed from areas affected by various types of the algal growth that is triggered by excess nutrients from fish farms.
There is also a failure to consider other, non-harmful ways of developing local businesses. Tourism and leisure are by far the biggest private sector employers along the coast, yet bays are out of bounds to kayakers, dolphins and porpoise are scared off, sea trout are virtually absent due to sea lice and viral diseases.
It's noticeable that in a long list of "consultees" there isn't a single environmental group, or any citizen or community one, but of course fish farming companies and suppliers to them feature pretty largely.
Re the timing, we are told that the report came out in January. The press release contains encouraging words from Julie Hesketh-Laird, who resigned as a paid promoter of aquaculture many months ago and has been virtually silent since. A Non-disclosure agreement, perhaps?
Covid is blamed for the delay, just as it has been used by fish farmers to obtain government support and exemption from regulation, but is that right? There was at least a month to publish before lockdown and if any reviews or approvals hadn't been done by then wouldn't this have been possible digitally? Does it have anything to do with certain ministers standing down?
The timing is bad, for another reason. Just as Norwegian companies get this endorsement from the Scottish Government, back home the industry launches the farm of the future, several years in planning. The article makes convincing reading, perhaps a solution to moving farms offshore without the whole operation ripping apart in strong winds, like we saw a week ago.
On the face of things this new development is a step forward. There should be a reduced dependency on antibiotics and pesticides. The world's seas will still be treated as gigantic waste disposal facilities and the process won't please anyone bothered about animal cruelty!
Read about the new system here:
No comments:
Post a Comment
For obvious reasons we will moderate all comments. Our policy is to publish everything, whether or not we agree with it, unless it is clearly irrelevant or abusive or defamatory. The moderator's decision is final.