Poison Salmon? Sure, EPA Tells Agribusiness

The Environmental Protection Agency is letting agribusiness poison 27 species of salmon by using six pesticides in violation of environmental laws, four environmental groups claim in Federal Court. The groups say this is the fourth time they have had to sue in this court to force the EPA to obey the law and court orders. 

LINK (Via: Courthouse News Service)

Hatchery fish might provide some expedient relief to harvesters, but their overall impact is negative

Bruce Brown who wrote Mountain in the Clouds, the book which served as the foundation for three decades of work on salmon restoration, was recently profiled in the Seattle Times.

In this follow up Brown shares his thoughts on hatcheries.

(Via: Osprey Steelhead News)

Newly Disclosed Government Documents Conclude Frankenfish Pose A Critical Threat To Marine Environments

What a surprise.

Adding a new twist to the controversy over genetically engineered salmon, the Center for Food Safety revealed that, in recent hearings on transgenic fish, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration knowingly withheld a Federal Biological Opinion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prohibiting the use of transgenic salmon in open-water net pens pursuant to the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

LINK (Via: Center for Food Safety)

Salmon is not the only genetically modified Frankenfood we need to be worried about.

I Don't Know Where I'm A Gonna Go.....

Speculation has been flying this week that a 2008 volcanic eruption on an Alaskan island was responsible for this year's glut of salmon in rivers in British Columbia, Canada. If confirmed, the idea will improve biologist's understanding of the notoriously unpredictable size of salmon runs, and add fuel to the controversial idea of intentionally seeding the ocean with iron to boost diminishing fish stocks. But some researchers contacted by Nature warn that the theory is "far fetched".

LINK (Via: Nature News)

The Kenai is closed for Kings

Lousy returns have forced the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to order an emergency closure of the Kenai for king salmon fishing through the rest of June and into July.

LINK (via: The Alaska Dispatch)

The Get Out Migration

In a remote river valley off north Vancouver Island Alex Morton begins her migration to Victoria. She will walk and boat the 500 km, hopefully gathering people as she walks, encouraging everyone on Vancouver Island who cares about wild salmon to get out, make themselves seen, and show Ottawa & Victoria how many people want wild salmon. 

A Mission Statement from Alex Morton: The Get Out Migration is a call to action to make government aware that we want wild salmon to take higher priority than farm salmon.  Farms belong on land.  We will start walking from Sointula, at the north end of Vancouver Island, on April 23 and arrive in Victoria May 8. 

LINK