In a disheartening turn of events, thousands of farmed salmon managed to escape from a pen in Iceland in August. However, this escape poses a significant threat to the wild salmon population in the area, which has already seen a decline in numbers over the years. The Guardian reports that the spread of sea lice, which thrive in farming conditions and through interbreeding, is harmful to the wild fish. This interbreeding leads to offspring that mature too quickly and struggle to reproduce in their natural habitat. “This is an environmental catastrophe,” warns Guðmundur Hauker Jakobsson, the vice-chair of local fishing clubs who has taken farmed fish for analysis. “If they breed, the salmon will lose their ability to survive.”
This incident comes after a previous escape in 2021 when 81,000 farmed fish made their way into the wild. The responsible company was fined for not reporting the escape. The recent breakout is currently being investigated, and the CEO of Arctic Fish, the company in question, has issued an apology. If found guilty of negligence, the CEO could face up to two years in jail. Fish farming is a relatively new industry in Iceland, and environmentalists argue that it causes damage due to the use of pesticides to treat sea lice and the pollution caused by large amounts of organic sewage. Jón Kaldal of Icelandic Wildlife Fund emphasizes the seriousness of the situation, stating, “This is more than a wake-up call. All red lights should be blinking. You’re talking about the future of wild salmon.”
The worldwide population of wild Atlantic salmon has dwindled to 3 to 4 million, a significant decrease from the estimated 8 to 10 million in the 1970s. These salmon play a crucial role in the environment, supporting various mammals and birds. There is a glimmer of hope in Maine’s Penobscot River, where wild salmon had their most productive year since 2011, as reported by the AP. However, local advocates point out that the growth doesn’t compare to the past, when tens of thousands of salmon swam in the river. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s still abysmal,” says the fisheries program manager for the Penobscot Nation. This year, an annual salmon festival had to proceed without any salmon.
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