Fwd: FW: [Food-news] Salmon safety and the environment

[Guest guest]

> http://www.freecycle.org

> >

> www.foodnews.ca <http://www.foodnews.ca/>

>

>

> *Editor's Note: Toronto Star readers respond to an

> article from last

> week on the safety of salmon consumption (link to

> article below). These

> readers critique the narrow view presented by the

> article on the health

> and safety of farmed salmon, arguing that it

> neglects larger questions

> of the environment and ecosystems. In particular,

> fish lower on the food

> chain can provide many of health benefits of salmon

> while reducing our

> own intake of chemicals that accumulate in animals

> higher in the chain

> while also increasing the energy efficiency of

> inputs (all the fish

> eaten by the salmon) versus energy yielded. *

>

> To discuss this or other foodnews posting, visit

> www.foodnews.ca

>

> The original article can be viewed at:

>

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_T\

ype1 & call_pageid=971358637177 & c=Article & cid=1136501415863

>

>

<http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_\

Type1 & call_pageid=971358637177 & c=Article & cid=1136501415863>).

>

>

>

> Environmentally bad

> The Toronto Star

> Tue 10 Jan 2006

> Page: A19

> Section: Letter

>

> By feeding farmed salmon wild-caught fish, we are

> exacerbating our

> impacts on marine ecosystems Spawning controversy

>

> Jan. 6.

>

> The debate surrounding the health risks and benefits

> of salmon is

> distressingly myopic, failing to address three key

> issues.

>

> First, we are not chained to our food. While Health

> Canada " experts "

> offer sophomoric advice ( " the benefits of eating

> oily fish like salmon

> still outweigh any risks " ), where is the discussion

> of the other oily

> fish? Sardines, herrings, jack mackerel and other

> small fish have the

> same omega-3 fatty acids and offer many of the same

> health benefits.

> Because they are small and low in the food chain,

> they have two major

> advantages, overlooked in your article, which brings

> us to the next point.

>

> Second, a discussion of food chains would give

> context to discussion of

> salmon and farming, for concerns of health and

> environment.

>

> Salmon are carnivorous, high in the food chain. We

> don't eat lions, for

> good reason; it takes an awful lot of beef to make

> lion meat. Similarly,

> it takes a lot of sardines to make salmon. This fact

> has two

> implications - eating salmon (and tuna, swordfish,

> shark, etc.) is

> environmentally unfriendly and unhealthy. By feeding

> farmed salmon

> wild-caught fish, we are exacerbating our impacts on

> marine ecosystems,

> and concentrating ( " bio-accumulating " ) toxins that

> accumulate in the

> fats of all the small feeder fish.

>

> Third, issues of environmental toxicity must be

> related to environmental

> legislation and the choices we make as voters and

> consumers. It is

> downright frightening that eating apparently good

> food can be so toxic,

> due solely to environmental pollution.

>

> We are not powerless to change this. We can push for

> stronger emission

> controls from government, and we can follow

> guidelines of groups like

> the Environmental Working Group to purchase products

> that are far less

> polluting.

>

> Kai M. A. Chan, Assistant Professor, Institute for

> Resources,

> Environment and Sustainability, University of

> British Columbia,

> Vancouver, B.C.

>

>

> Spawning controversy

> Jan. 6.

>

> Since research indicates the high level of toxins in

> the " chow " fed to

> farmed salmon is potentially carcinogenic for human

> consumption, then

> why don't the leaders of our federal parties (who

> coincidently are

> fighting for our votes in the coming election)

> pledge to do something

> about it?

>

> It is inconceivable that this feeding procedure is

> allowed to continue

> while our political leaders ignore our health. Shame

> on Health Canada,

> the farmers who feed the " chow " to the salmon and to

> our political

> leaders. Perhaps one of these leaders can take time

> out from photo ops

> to consider this most unfortunate situation.

>

> Dr. Jeffrey Manly, Toronto

>

***********************************************************************

> Lynn Hunter,

> Pacific Northwest Representative,

> Pure Salmon Campaign,

> NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST,

> phone: 250-479-0937

> cell phone: 250-888-1700

> Email: hunterlynn

> <hunterlynn

>

> Please visit our website: http://www.puresalmon.org

>

>

>

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