Years back, I did a one-week, live-on, keelboat sailing course around the west Cork coast which played havoc with my lower back. Headroom 5 feet + height 6 feet = lower back agony for weeks.
One day, when I wasn't bent double in pain for about 10 minutes, we dropped a fishing jig into the ocean. As a reward, we got platefuls of wild mackerel for our dinner, cooked on board. Lovely.
I was warned by Andreas (the instructor), however, to avoid - when I went back to my landlubber life - the mussels of one particular bay. Farmed, he said, not far from a sewage outlet. Seasoning, I suppose.
Things are seldom done properly in Ireland, so perhaps we should pay heed to the sender of the email below, who warns of the consequences of two massive fish farms in Galway Bay. The fella seems to know what he is on about, and has - as far as I can see - no vested interests, other than to stop the place from being destroyed.
Dear GM,
I am very concerned about the plans to create two
salmon fish farms totalling 456 hectares in the Galway Bay area. The long term
potential negative impact on Ireland's environment and the dire consequences for
angling and tourism in the vicinity are all too clear to many -except the
Minister responsible - Simon Conevey TD
This issue first hit the national press again in
August this year - see http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2012/0904/1224323573364.html
Despite the clear outline of the damage salmon
farming operations do to the environment, Simon Conevey has pressed ahead with
his plans to create up to 350 jobs in the new proposed farms. No account seems
to have been taken by him of the potential jobs that will vanish in the angling,
tourist and hotel industries when people stop coming to fish because there are
no sea trout and fewer salmon.
Some might ask why salmon farming is such a threat
to native species. It is quite simple. The young salmon and sea trout follow
the coast on their outward journey to feed at sea. When they reach where the
proposed Salmon Farms are to be situated, they will stop, munch on the pickings
and then get infested by the amazing numbers of sea lice that are attracted to
these farms. Weakened by the parasites, the next generation of stock will lose
strength and die. And then people will ask " Why are the salmon and sea trout
not running this year?" Bookings will drop away, hotels will fail and the
entire edifice will come crashing down. There will even be a reduction in
income from Salmon Fishing Licences. But the Minister will say, "Hey, I have
created jobs and helped produce food"
It is a bit like having a nuclear power station on
your doorstep to keep the peat fires burning. The immutable Law of Unintended
Consequences will have done its work again.
I know times are tough and jobs are hard to come by
but surely Ireland deserves better than having these Salmon Farms on its
doorstep with all the proven risks etc. It is not as if there are no precedents
for the devastation caused by Fish Farming. Scotland, as ever, leads the way in
grandiose job creation schemes which wreak havoc on the environment Anyone
interested can easily research the issue by Googling as follow : Scottish west
coast + west coast + sea trout stocks devastated.
It's not rocket science - it's aquaculture and
false job creation or as Uncle Anagram puts it so nicely - Quarrel, obfuscation, ejaculate.
Come on Ireland, you deserve better and so does
Mother Nature.
Tell Simon Conevey where to get off on this one.
Who's creature is he, anyway? Those who enjoy what Ireland has to offer the
visiting angler or the Boardroom of Marine Harvest? A company who,
incidentally, seem to be adept networking with policiticians across the globe.
Check out their track record in Peru where many communities were devastated by
similar Fish Farming set ups.
Finally, I have left the Chemical bit to the end -
how do the Fish Farms get rid of the Sea Lice from the Salmon in the Cages? Yes,
that is correct. Chemicals. Stronger and stronger ones as the parasites become
more and more resistant. Fancy a (sheep) dip, anyone? Farmed Salmon? It is
enough to put me off my chicken nuggets.
TB
6 comments:
before anyone gets in i want to wander way off topic and mention 'the great leap forward" and the "unions forever" - YUP billy Bragg's in tasmania and fuck me if it isn't good to hear a bit of common sense being sung and spoken for a change. PB
ps there are fish farms here too and they're wrong FULL STOP. Actually noticed that the Norwegians are dumping off loads of their farmed salmon so maybe the irish fish farm has missed the boat (npi) timewise.
Once again, apologies to all for deleting some earlier comments by by mistake... if anyone knows how to view old pages, including comments, please let me know. Google have done away with their "viewed cached pages" in their wisdom.
@ Ponyboy.
Some good ditties, our Billy. Have a bit of his stuff myself. Did good work during the last elections too.
Yep, wou would have to wonder who would benefit from this, in the light of what TB has pointed out? According to his information, they stand to bring more problems than benefits.
Sounds fishy, GM. But what does not reek of it in the place?
"the entire edifice will come crashing down."
TB, one of the many things I have learned about Ireland is, the established system NEVER COMES CRASHING DOWN. You might think it has, but you can be sure, there'll be a brown envelope or a nod somewhere, to make sure the PROFESSIONAL BACK SCRATHERS are looked after...If there's very little REAL in Ireland, why should the Fish stocks be any different?
Bit of background might help. China fell out with Norway when the latter queried China's Human Rights record (which was non too brilliant as far the Vikings were concerened. China was previously a major buyer of Farmed Salmon from Norway
China then sources alternative suppliers - The Irish and Scottish Governments fall overthemselves in the rush to facilitate the supply Farmed Salmon, regardless of the pollution and other negative environmental impacts that will be caused.
Just remember this quote from Margaret Meade when you feel politicians have not listened to the voice of the people
"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
It's time to make a stand if you can on this issue.
tb
@ TB Like I said, there had to be something fishy. And who cares about human rights when it comes getting a few yuan from fish farms, while buggering up Galway bay into the bargain.
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