“Industrial ocean fish farming is a filthy way to produce fish, and contrary to NOAA’s claims, it is not a sustainable means to supplement the US seafood supply, protect ocean resources, or promote a healthy economy in the US,” the Food and Water Watch Group announced.
Food and Water Watch continued to criticise NOAA's policy saying that its plans to expand fish farms would just increase pollution, as the majority of fish produced would be exported.
The plan to set up fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico is also worrying as it will add increasing pressure on an area which has not yet fully recovered from last years oil spill.
Waste and pollution are also issues raised by the group, as the predicted amount of waste is equal to the untreated sewage of around 17.1 million people, over twice the population of New York City.
Fish Farms are also harmful to wild fish species, “The open water salmon farms in the North Atlantic result in two million fish escapes each year, weakening wild fish stocks and spreading disease.”
Food and Water Watch have therefore announced that they will be launching a campaign to keep factory fish farming from industrialising US oceans.
“We’re calling on Congress to support Representative Don Young’s (R-Alaska) bill (H.R. 574) to stop NOAA from recklessly and unilaterally forging ahead with factory fish farming.”
Campaign Launched Over Aquaculture Expansion
US - Following on from NOAA and the US Department of Commerce's announcement of a National Policy that will allow for fish farming in US waters, the US Food and Water Watch group have strongly opposed the policy, launching a campaign on what it brands as destructive.
