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 Government must act on new study proving sea lice deadly to wild salmonNew research released October 2 shows parasitic sea lice from fish farms kill as many as 95 per cent of juvenile wild salmon that migrate past the farmed salmon open net cages. Published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the U.S. and partly funded by the David Suzuki Foundation, the lead report says wild juvenile salmon migrate through “a cloud of sea lice” around open net cage salmon farms. Governments should now have all the proof they need to take action and move open net pen fish farming operations out of wild salmon areas to protect wild stocks from deadly sea lice infestations. The David Suzuki Foundation is pushing for transition to more responsible forms of aquaculture to protect wild salmon stocks. For more information, click here. Write your government representatives, Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the federal fisheries opposition critics and Prime Minister Harper to express your concerns about salmon farms. Canada takes weak position on UN resolution for a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling
International bottom trawl fishing fleets in areas outside of any national jurisdiction are causing irreparable damage to sensitive ocean habitats, which are home to some of the oldest living species on earth. Destruction and damage to ancient corals that may be as much as 5,000 years old and older and the life forms they support, is irreparable. On October 3, 2006 President George W. Bush directed his government to oppose any fishing practices "that destroy fish stocks or habitats.” His announcement includes support for a moratorium on destructive fishing practices. These comments were made in relation to a proposed United Nations resolution on bottom trawling in unregulated international waters. Bush's statement preceded an October 4-5 UN meeting on fishing practices where nations debated issues surrounding destructive fishing practices on the high seas. At this meeting, Canada announced that it would not to support a moratorium. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Loyola Hearn warned that banning trawls outside areas of national jurisdiction would also have an effect on Canadian fisheries in Canadian waters: "Shrimp fishery depends entirely on trawling.” The David Suzuki Foundation strongly disagrees with the minister’s perspective on this and believes Mr. Hearn is failing to recognize that the moratorium on the high seas will in no way affect the Canadian domestic trawl fishery. Environmental groups are not asking for a moratorium inside Canada’s exclusive economic zone. Suzuki believes Canada should be on the forefront of protecting the world's fish and habitats from destructive fishing practices and sees the moratorium as the fastest way to realize the necessary changes, including the development of a management system for high seas trawl fisheries. Many environmental organizations involved in the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (www.savethehighseas.org ), scientists from around the world and countries including Australia, New Zealand, most EU countries and Palau are supporting the call for the UN moratorium on high seas bottom trawling until management systems that would protect sensitive ecosystems can be established. The decision on this issue will be made at the UN in December, so it’s not too late to encourage Minister Hearn to change his mind. Let Minister Hearn and Prime Minister Stephen Harper know how you feel about Canada’s position on the high seas bottom trawl moratorium and help end destructive trawl fishing practices now!
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E-mail: Hearn.L@parl.gc.ca
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SeaChoice encourages people to eat seafood from environmentally responsible fisheries with healthy stocks. Consumption of species that are threatened or come from sources that cause significant harm to other sea life are discouraged. 
Greenfish: Fish and Chips?
Redfish: Fish and Chips? 
