e-270 (Aquaculture)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• Containing Atlantic salmon in open-net cages in our oceans has serious consequences;
• Adding antibiotics to fish feed which is then sprayed directly into the ocean is reckless and dangerous, considering the rapid development of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the detrimental effects it is having on human health;
• Pesticides released into the ocean to kill sea lice on salmon are killing lobsters, and detailed studies on the effects of pesticides on the environment need to be done before allowing their use in our oceans, otherwise it could be argued that this industry and government are using a food source, the environment and consumers in an industrial experiment;
• Millions of caged salmon in the Maritimes are being killed by super-chill, which is inhumane and abusive, and this practice of keeping caged fish in an area where the water can freeze should be considered unacceptable;
• The number of wild fish destroyed to feed farmed fish and the number of farmed fish destroyed due to the growing conditions on these sites is a testament to the unsustainable nature of this industry; and
• The industry's claim that escapes do not occur is unfounded, and after storms there are often buoys, nets, plastic pipes and ropes littering the shoreline adjacent to leased areas.