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PAA, Salmon Facts are Sacred, December 6, 2013
In an effort to find something to complain about this month, anti-salmon farming activists were “outraged” that the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River website had been deleted.
The funny thing is, these people have convinced themselves that the Cohen Commission confirms their negative feelings toward salmon farming. It doesn’t. In fact, it clearly states that the “primary factor” for the poor return Fraser River sockeye in 2009 was because of scarce food availability when this yearclass of salmon entered in the ocean in 2007:
“I am also satisfied that marine conditions in both the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte Sound in 2007 were likely to be the primary factors responsible for the poor returns in 2009. Abnormally high freshwater discharge, warmer-than-usual sea surface temperatures, strong winds, and lower-than-normal salinity may have resulted in abnormally low phytoplankton and nitrate concentrations that could have led to poor zooplankton (food for sockeye) production.” (Final Report, Volume 3, p. 59)
Furthermore – specific to salmon farming – Justice Bruce Cohen concluded that:
“Data presented during this Inquiry did not show that salmon farms were having a significant negative impact on Fraser River sockeye.” (Final Report, Volume 3, p. 24)
Read the full blog here.
