COUNTERPOINT: Aquaculture critics out of their depth
JON GRANT, Herald Opinions, June 1, 2015
I read endless letters in this newspaper against fish farming from the same small group of people.
As a scientist who has researched aquaculture-environment interactions for 25 years, I am miffed at the persistent misunderstanding of the science surrounding aquaculture.
Some people think that you can go onto Google and immediately become qualified to make pronouncements about sustainability, pollution, disease, etc. In their comments, it is obvious that the most basic of ecological concepts, especially spatial variation, are not understood.
Much of their criticism is levelled at the provincial government regarding the Doelle-Lahey report.
There are recommendations within that report that should not be accepted, and the government is right to choose only parts of it for legislation.
The sustainable management of fish farming in the ocean is well within the grasp of science and engineering, and there are significant advances being made on this issue in Canada and worldwide.
By the way, superchill is not a fabricated term and does not need to be in quotes; it is a technical term that has been used in the scientific literature for years.
Yes, I work with the industry; most aquaculture researchers do. Hundreds of Canadian aquaculture researchers are meeting in Nanaimo this week. Have a look at the expertise being brought to bear on this important economic activity.
Jon Grant, NSERC-Cooke Industrial Research Chair in Sustainable Aquaculture, Dalhousie University
