ZAHRA JAMAL

The Atlantic salmon being raised in pens
on our coast could possibly endanger
British Columbia's wild salmon. Each
summer, Pacific salmon return to spawn in
the rivers and lakes of Alaska and BC.
Simultaneously, farmers raise Atlantic
salmon in pens along the coast. Fish farms
consist of a fence grounded into the
sediment to prevent the Atlantic salmon
from escaping. In 1994, the BC Salmon
Farmers Association discovered 64,000
farmed salmon escaped their pens, possibly
spreading their diseases to our wild salmon
and potentially spawning in vacant
spawning beds. Currently, BC’s coastal
waters contain many vacant spawning beds
due to human activity and climactic
changes such as El Nino, making our
waters vulnerable to Atlantic salmon trying

to steal spawning sites.

Green businesses featured in DC Natural Life Expo

Since the:salmon are genetically different
from each other, there is almost no chance
of interbreeding. The worry lies in the pos-
sibility that farmed salmon will escape and
adapt to the wild.

A primary concern of having fish farms
is the diseases Atlantic salmon may transfer
to BC's Pacific salmon. One of them,
known as IHN, could be passed on to wild
salmon that spawn nearby. Another conflict
is giving Atlantic salmon antibiotics or
genetically engineering them to strengthen
their immune system and increase produc-

tivity. Mary Cooligan, a biologist for the

lly profiting?

     

National Marine Fisheries Service, feels
that “Growers are interested in fast growth
and fish that perform well under a con-
trolled aquaculture setting.”

Fecal waste from fish farms around
Johnstone Strait, yet another concern, cre-
ates the waste equivalent of 500,000 peo-
ple. Common sense tells us of the implica-
tions this may have on the organisms living
in the ocean floor, not to mention our
drinking water.

There is, as always, another side to this
story. Canadian government studies indi-

cate that of the 64,000 salmon which

Environmental capitalism

JOHNSON TAI

Until now, environmentalism has been a
synonym for anti-business. In recent years,
however, a new generation of
environmentalists has surged into the
marketplace, claiming territories neglected
by the mainstream companies.

Sponsored by Natural Life magazine,
Natural Life Expo will allow a chance for
these budding businesses to connect with
consumers concerned about the environ-
ment.

“The target audience is people who are
interested in sustainable living, which
includes preserving the health of the envi-

Natural Life Expo

 

& Green Marketplace

Shop at the

Products & information
for sustainable, healthy living

Workshops

Green Marketplace

Environmental organizations, 40 vendors selling

Simplify Through Sharing - Car Sharing with Tracey
Axelsson of the Co-operative Auto Network 9am - 14am

ronment, of society and of individuals.
We're expecting two thousand people to
the Expo,” said Wendy Priesnitz, editor of
Natural Life magazine.

Companies and organizations such as
Edible Landscape Creations, Green Man
Paper Mill and Western Canadian
Wilderness Committee are expected at the
Green Marketplace, show-
casing products and servic-
es such as organic foods,
hemp products and infor-
mation regarding sustain-
ability.

A series of two hour
workshops will cover con-

temporary trends in the

q there is no evidence of disease transmis-
7 sion. The Ministry of Environment, Lands

hemp products, natural health courses,
wellness products, aromatherapy,
herbs, environmental products,
eco travel, green gifts
and much more...

Saturday,
November 7, 1998
9am to 9pm
Concourse
Douglas College
New Westminster

 

 

Environmental Citizenship: Living in Gratitude with
voluntary simplicity educator Julie Johnston & Dr. Peter
Carter, founding director of CAPE 11:30am - 1:30am

Attachment Parenting with Jan Hunt, Natural Life's
Natural Child columnist 2pm - 4pm

Growing & Processing Sustainable Hemp with Doug

Brown, of Quality Assurance Consulting 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Deschooling with Wendy Priesnitz, founder of Canadian

Alliance of Home Schoolers & Natural Life Editor 7pm -
9pm

Informed Choices in Natural Health Care with experts

from a variety of natural healing modalities 7pm - 9pm

Free General Admission.

Workshops tickets available at

$10 each outside room 2203.

Volunteers Needed - Please call.

Sponsored by
Natural Life - Canada’s Alternative Newsmagazine

1-800-215-9574

 

 

escaped in 1994, only two were found in
wild salmon spawning areas. Furthermore,

and Parks has recently produced an envi-
ronmental assessment showing nearly no
risk of keeping fish farms along our coast.

Salmon farming creates year round
employment while making $165 million in
revenue every year. But how much of this
revenue is going into BC and how much is
falling into our politicians’ pockets?

What about the ecological functions
that are lost when farms are produced?
Imagine the implications which could
result from disrupting the marine waters
this way. It is not the government's right to
control or limit nature and its processes —
whether fish are producing enough revenue
or not.

Canadian society. Tracey Axellson, executivs
director of the 185 member Cooperative
Auto Network, will talk about why and
how to start a car sharing co-op. Julie
Johnston, an educator, and Peter Carter, a
family doctor and founding director of the
Canadian Association of Physicians for th
Environment, will host a workshop on -
environmental citizenship. The exposition
will be held on Saturday November 7,
from 9am to 9pm in the New Westminstey
campus concourse area. Tickets for the
workshops are $10 each (GST included)
and will be available at the door.
Admission to the fair is free.

 

NOVEMBER

oS

 

 

Page 8 November 41998

The Other Press