Salmon Escapes Dramatically Down, Fish Farms Claim

CANADA - The number of farm-raised salmon escaping into the ocean from B.C. fish farms plunged from nearly 44,000 in 2004 to just 64 last year, according to a provincial aquaculture report released Friday.

But at least one environmentalist called the escape numbers "totally unbelievable" because they're obtained from industry self-reporting.

According to the report, the number of salmon escapes went from just 40 in 2003 to 43,985 in 2004 to 64 last year. The vast majority were Atlantic salmon, with the 2004 figure including 43,969 Atlantic salmon, 11 Coho and five Chinook.

Source: The Vancouver Sun