Pure Salmon Campaign Addresses Ecological Impact Questions

In its attempts to label farmed salmon as organic, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has been collecting data and other input from scientists, academics, environmentalists, industry and other stakeholders. In light of this, the Pure Salmon Campaign published a paper addressing specific NOSB questions relating to the ecological impact of net-cage fish farming systems and the current rate of escapes in both conventional aquaculture and emerging organic aquaculture industries abroad. The organization’s findings reveal that millions of salmon from net cages escape every year, altering marine environments, coastal rivers and food chains on a global scale. The farmed salmon often compete with native wild salmon for food, habitat and mates, yet are susceptible to weakened immune systems and the spreading of diseases. The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global project of the National Environmental Trust, with partners in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Chile, all working to improve the way salmon is produced.