Paul Bohn, Esq.
At the start of the month, a scientific advisory panel was commissioned by State agencies to revisit the issue of commercial net-pen aquaculture in the Great Lakes. This panel of environmental experts will objectively evaluate proposals to allow commercial net-pen aquaculture and present the results to the DNR, DEQ, and MDARD by October.
At the start of the month, a scientific advisory panel was commissioned by State agencies to revisit the issue of commercial net-pen aquaculture in the Great Lakes. This panel of environmental experts will objectively evaluate proposals to allow commercial net-pen aquaculture and present the results to the DNR, DEQ, and MDARD by October.
The hope of
this panel is to understand what to expect if such aquaculture was to begin, as
well as how to prevent or mitigate the negative impacts these fish-farms would
have if we were to allow them in Michigan waters.
Net-pen
aquaculture refers to the offshore floating enclosures used to cultivate large
numbers of fish. Currently, it is only practiced in the Ontario waters of Lake
Huron. It remains unpopular off the Michigan coasts because of the potential
environmental impacts it could bring.
Personally, I support
the allowance of net-pen agriculture in our waters, IF they are managed
properly. The United Nations estimates that nearly ¼ of the protein in human
diets comes from seafood, and 21% of the world consumption of seafood comes
from aquaculture. With the expected global population increases, this provides
a unique and profitable opportunity for our State. This new Michigan industry
could bring much-needed capital to the state, create new jobs, and have various
spin-off benefits.
Sounds good
right? Only if these fisheries are properly maintained. If not, the unintended
consequences could destroy the Great Lakes ecosystem and the surrounding
economies. Previous studies on the net-pens of Ontario, poor management of the
facilities led to elevated phosphorus levels, reduced water transparency, algal
blooms, and dissolved oxygen depletion. All of which significantly endanger the
sea-life in the Lakes and hurt industries that rely on the Great Lakes and its
inhabitants.
Another problem
is the potential of the farmed species escaping into the open waters. A recent
study simulated a jail-break of Rainbow Trout in Lake Huron and monitored their
survival rates. These domesticated fish were able to assimilate into the wild
easier than expected. The introduction of a new population of fish could have a
negative cascading effect in the ecosystem and result in the extinction of
native species.
Even with these
risks present, I believe they can be easily avoided with smart planning and
management of the facilities. Examples include: assessing the carrying capacity
of potential sites, adequate monitoring of the site, allocation of waste
loading, and using highly digestible diets which are less polluting and contain
less phosphorus.
Our State was
blessed with a precious and abundant source of freshwater. We should take
advantage of this opportunity to grow local industries, feed the growing
population, and above all, utilize current technology to ensure the safety of
our Great Lakes.
Follow this link to see a earlier report on the environmental impacts of Great Lakes Aquaculture: http://ijc.org/php/publications/html/aquaculture/index.html#foreword
No comments:
Post a Comment