The opponents of aquaculture are using correlations, which can't prove "causation"
by Dennis Weaver, Time Comment, August 24, 2011
The opponents of aquaculture are using correlations, which can't prove "causation", to make claims of causation. Looking at the track record of the same group of authors predicting the extinction of salmon species that didn't happen or the establishment of Atlantic salmon in rivers on the west coast of Canada (predicted several times) that still hasn't occurred, one must take their claims with a strong grain of salt.
In science, you make predictions based upon your hypothesis and when these predictions are shown to be not true, you must conclude that your hypothesis is wrong. These activists authors apparently can't be convinced by facts and observations any more that a young earth creationist can be convinced that evolution is true.
I have gone through some of their math in their papers and have some problems with their analysis, but it is too complex for this type of discussion. I am not paid to publish and have other more interesting things to do along with being very incompetent at PR (notice how many media and internet references all the activist obtain via excellent PR, not good science).
For a perspective on the issue of salmon collapse, one needs to note that the decrease in salmon population in BC, Canada and Washington, Oregon and California have been consistent. The populations have been going down all along the West coast of the continent for the last 30 years and showing an increase in the last year or so. In BC, the activists claim the decline is caused by the fish farms. In Washington and Oregon other activists claim the cause is the dams that have been their for half a century and in California it is the use of water for agriculture, stocking stripped bass, half century old dams, pumping water to So. California, pollution, etc. Clearly not all these hypothesis can't be true and many must be BS. The fact that we are getting higher salmon returns all along the coast indicates that all the hypothesis may be BS and some of the multi-decade marine cycles many be involved along the entire coast line.
Mr Weaver comments are in response to:
Study Says Sea Lice From Farmed Salmon Do Hurt Wild Fish—But the Debate's Not Over
Posted by Bryan Walsh, Time, Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Please refer to PAA News Posting:
Salmon farms are sustainable, and provide fish for the future.
to read the full article.
