Salmon are one of the most widely loved varieties of seafood in the world. A ubiquitous alternative to meat and poultry, salmon wear a halo of healthfulness, as they are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But many wild salmon stocks are dwindling, which means that unless otherwise specified, the salmon you’re most likely to find in restaurants and stores is from a farm.
Since the 1980s world salmon consumption has tripled. Fish farms have been established in many countries to respond to the demand with Norway producing the most farmed salmon.
However, a reporter from ARTE ( European TV Channel) revealed the “dark side” in one of the offshore salmon fish farm which located in northern Norway.
” I know i will feel breathless when looking at overcrowding farm, but the fact is what i see is even more scary: all the fishes are living in a over-crowded and dirty ocean pens that full of excretion. Some salmons are even with a palm size skin lesions which caused by lice,” said the ARTE reporter.
On 2018, lice killed thousands of tonnes of farmed fish, caused skin lesions and secondary infections in millions more. High density facility is the main reason for lice infestation.
Salmon farming threatens the health of wild salmon stocks primarily because farmed salmon can spread parasites and diseases to wild salmon. The amount of wild salmon has reduced by 50% compare to the past 3 decades.
When a new coronavirus outbreak emerged last week in Beijing, residents were jolted by reports that traces of the virus had been found on a cutting board used for imported salmon, and the backlash was swift.
Within a few days, salmon was removed from major supermarket shelves in Beijing, reserves of the fish were dumped and bulk orders evaporated.
Source : Sin Chew