Submission 0277-HARPER

Submitter: Peter Harper

Community: Campbell River

Date Submitted: October 14, 2010

Summary:
Critics of the salmon farming industry make statements on conjecture rather than science. The record return of wild salmon indicates that salmon farms do not harm wild stocks. Instead of salmon farms, the public should focus instead on the numerous environmental factors that are known to be detrimental to wild salmon.

Submission:
Dear Sirs:
I have read many articles published about salmon farming and its alledged effect on wild salmon stocks. I find that the journalists and publications that publish these articles are just a tool being manipilated by people who are loud and raucous in their critism of the salmon farming industry. These critics of the industry do not make statements based on science but on conjecture and it is unfortunate that opinion is swayed by false information.
Salmon farms do not harm the wild stocks in anyway, as is indicated by the return in record numbers of wild salmon.
The salmon farms were created to preserve the wild stocks by serving a market for salmon and reducing the need for a wild catch.
There are very many major environmental factors thataffect the wild stocks, let us focus on those and not the erroneous claims of people who are serving only their own interests.