Norway sold 1. 2 million tons of salmon, the equivalent amount of 250 kilograms for every Norwegian, on the global market. It is no secret that the increased demand seen worldwide for fish and fish protein has generated healthy economic stimulus in Norway, resulting in the development of around 1 1 00 fish farming facilities along the Norwegian coast.
The extensiveness of the economic gains possible has served as an incentive for the fish farming to produce as much fish as possible with the least amount of fed, cutting costs and maximizing profits. An effective and jugulate industry might serve the environment some good, but its increased production over the last decade is treating natural ecosystems nonetheless (Fish Farming in Norway, 2014). One of the biggest Issues facing the Norwegian fish farming industry is escaped salmon. Not only is it a economic burden for the farming facility, but worse is its environmental effects on the ecosystem. Despite strict Government regulations and a intense focus toward the dilemma, salmon still managed to escape in high numbers. The issue of salmon escaping is not endangering the overall extinction of the species, nice many believe a good portion of the escapees will not survive in the wild. Nonetheless, the ones that do manage to survive will swim up-stream the rivers and mate with wild-salmon.
The problem related to the cross-breeding between farmed- and wild-salmon is the potential loss in the species genetic poll. Even though the farmed salmon has its genes from the wild-salmon, the course of systematic breeding and selection has resulted in the farmed- salmon developing their own genetics causing various farmed-salmon species to look more alike one another. In contrast, the wild-salmon has a vast emetic gap between the different variations in the species. It is, therefore, the general concern that this genetic gap will be lost if the merger with the farmed-salmon continues, ultimately weakening the wild-salmon and minimizing variation (Environmental Consequences of Escaped Atlantic Salmon, 2014).
Lepidopterist salmon’s, commonly known as salmon lice, is a parasite that naturally lives on the salmon. Farming facilities with a high density of salmon are ideal conditions for the lice to flourish. Aquaculture’s are bound by law to keep the lice percentage at a certain level, and when reached, proper measurements must be conducted. Crucial salmon lice levels within the farms are Often treated utilizing strong antibiotic drugs in order to keep them alive.
The problem with this is that when giving antibiotics to species in which humans consume, people that eat them become more tolerant, resulting in antibiotic resistance. Increasing the risk of untreatable Staphylococcus infections among humans. When farmed salmon escapes and mates with the wild-salmon they bring the parasite along, facilitating the transportation onto the healthy wild-salmon. Large amounts of lice will weaken the fish, and will in some cases often cause death (Fish Farming Drives Salmon Population Towards Extension, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Philae, 2014). In conclusion, the topic of aquaculture, and more specifically, the niche of fish farming have now been analyzed.
From its earliest recorded origin, more than 8000 years ago, to the million dollar industry its commonly known as today.