Patreksfjörður farmed salmon escape explained

The Patreksfjörður farmed salmon escape was the escape of approximately 3500 farm-raised Atlantic salmon in an open fish farm on August 20, 2023, at Patreksfjörður, a village on the northwest coast of Iceland.[1] [2] The fish farm is managed by Arctic Fish, an agricultural company in Norway. Soon after the incident, Arctic Fish discovered two 20 by 30 centimeter holes in its net pens.[3] [4] [5]

Aftermath

Arctic Fish fixed the two holes by placing new nets over them on August 21, 2023. Drone footage shows that fish were seen in the river of Ósá in Patreksfjörður on August 22, 2023. Inspectors from the Directorate of Fisheries, Norway, ordered Arctic Fish to set up nets in nearby rivers on August 23, 2023. At least four salmon that appeared to have characteristics of farmed salmon were caught in the nets and were sent to the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute for analysis.[6] [7] Arctic Fish has issued an apology.[8]

Environmental Impact

Many of the escaped farmed salmon have reached sexual maturity. This implies that there will most likely be introgression between the escapees and local wild salmon population.[9] Farmed salmon escape incidents can cause irreversible and substantial impact on wild salmon populations.[10] Farmed salmon can compete with wild salmon for resources, introduce diseases, and reduce genetic diversity through interbreeding. Escape incidents can also lead to the extinction of wild salmon over time.[11]

Reaction

Since this incident, there was also a sea lice outbreak at an open sea salmon farm in Tálknafjörður, Iceland. Many locals and environmentalists have been protesting against open sea fish farm industries in Iceland.[12]

On November 9, 2023, Icelandic singer songwriter, Björk, released a song titled, "Oral," in collaboration with Catalan pop star, Rosalía. The profits of the song will go towards supporting activists who are fighting for new laws and regulations for aquaculture in Iceland.[13] [14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: McVeigh . Karen . September 30, 2023 . Thousands of salmon escaped an Icelandic fish farm. The impact could be deadly . 2024-02-08 . The Guardian. en-US.
  2. Web site: Donohue . Jane . 2023-12-06 . Fish farm threatens to wreak havoc as thousands of fish escape into natural waters: 'An environmental catastrophe' . 2024-02-08 . Yahoo News . en-US.
  3. Web site: Lawton . Graham . 23 October 2023 . On the hunt for thousands of salmon that escaped Icelandic fish farm . 2024-03-20 . New Scientist . en-US.
  4. Web site: Writer . Thomas Kika Weekend Staff . 2023-12-11 . Salmon escaping farms are wreaking havoc on wild fish . 2024-03-20 . Newsweek . en.
  5. Web site: Ćirić . Jelena . 2023-08-31 . Farmed Salmon Caught in Rivers Across Northwest Iceland . 2024-03-20 . Iceland Review . en-US.
  6. Web site: Holes in Arctic Seafarm's sea farm at Kvígindisdalur in Patreksfjörður Ísland.is . 2024-02-08 . island.is . en.
  7. Web site: Concerned over farmed salmon runaways . 2024-03-20 . Iceland Monitor.
  8. Web site: Outram . Robert . 2023-09-14 . Iceland salmon company apologises for fjord escape . 2024-03-22 . Fish Farmer Magazine . en-GB.
  9. Bolstad GH, Karlsson S, Hagen IJ, Fiske P, Urdal K, Sægrov H, Florø-Larsen B, Sollien VP, Østborg G, Diserud OH, Jensen AJ, Hindar K. Introgression from farmed escapees affects the full life cycle of wild Atlantic salmon. Sci Adv. 2021 Dec 24;7(52):eabj3397. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj3397. Epub 2021 Dec 22. PMID: 34936452; PMCID: PMC8694624.
  10. Kjetil Hindar, Ian A. Fleming, Philip McGinnity, Ola Diserud, Genetic and ecological effects of salmon farming on wild salmon: modelling from experimental results, ICES Journal of Marine Science, Volume 63, Issue 7, 2006, Pages 1234–1247, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icesjms.2006.04.025
  11. Web site: Center for Food Safety GE Fish & the Environment GE Fish & The Environment . 2024-03-22 . Center for Food Safety . en.
  12. News: McVeigh . Karen . 2023-11-03 . Sea-lice outbreak on Icelandic salmon farm a 'welfare disaster', footage shows . 2024-03-22 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  13. News: Beaumont-Thomas . Ben . 2023-10-05 . Björk and Rosalía team up to campaign against industrial fish farming . 2024-02-08 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  14. Web site: Bjarkason . Jóhannes . 2023-10-07 . From Iceland — Björk And Rosalía Release Protest Song Against Fish Farming . 2024-03-20 . The Reykjavik Grapevine . en-US.
  15. Web site: Garcia . Thania . 2023-10-05 . Björk and Rosalía to Release New Song Protesting Industrial Fish Farming . 2024-03-22 . Variety . en-US.

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