Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Kevin C. Duffy welcomed the recommendation, saying in a press release, "I am pleased to see that the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee has listened to the public and taken a position consistent with that of the state of Alaska."
The state has always taken a strong stance against fish farming, and the official position on offshore aquaculture development is outlined in the "State of Alaska Comments and Recommendations to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Preliminary Report" dated June 3, 2004. In the report, the state supports a five-year moratorium on all permitting, leasing, or development of ocean pen-reared shell and finfish in federal waters, which are located from three to 200 miles offshore. The state recommends conducting scientific research to address environmental and economic concerns, including socio-economic impacts to fisheries-dependent communities.
Not everyone spoke out against offshore aquaculture. Gunnar Knapp, a University of Alaska economist, highlighted economic opportunities across the country from aquaculture. The Juneau Empire reported that he told the advisory panel, "It's real jobs," adding that though offshore aquaculture has been on a very small scale, worldwide, it is now on the edge of a "technological breakthrough." Knapp, of Anchorage, said dialogue on the offshore issue should include "how do we get maximum benefit from both wild (fisheries) and aquaculture." According to the Empire, Knapp said that although Alaska banned salmon farming in state waters, "it didn't help us," in reference to the economic ravage wrought on coastal communities from salmon farming elsewhere. "U.S. trade policy offers little protection to wild fisheries," Knapp added.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski urged Canada to prevent the start of sablefish (black cod) fish farming off British Columbia's coast until environmental studies are not only started, but completed. According to a press release, Murkowski, in a letter to Michael Kergin, the Canadian ambassador to the United States, asked that the Canadian government stop a proposed transfer of 30,000 juvenile black cod to Canadian off-shore fish farms this summer and delay any future sales of juvenile black cod to British Columbia fish farms pending more scientific studies.
"North America's sablefish industry is one of the best managed fisheries on the continent. Stocks are healthy due in part to rigorous assessments paid for by the industry. I strongly believe that until the potential dangers from farming this species are better understood, wild fish stocks in both Canada and the United States may suffer irreparable damage (should you proceed)," wrote Murkowski. Murkowski's comments come after an Ottawa judge recently ruled that Sablefin Hatcheries may go forward with its planned sale of juvenile black cod to British Columbia fish farms, allowing the farms which up until now only raised Atlantic salmon to diversify into black cod stocks.
Murkowski, who months ago first expressed environmental concerns about the potential new fish farming operations, said the recent escape of another 2,500 Atlantic salmon from a British Columbia fish farm in Broughton Archipelago once again reinforces Alaskans' concerns that the release of farm-raised fish could hurt Alaska's wild fish stocks.
Besides the issue of the potential increase in sea-lice and other parasites from fish farming, the senator previously had questioned the potential for genetic damage to wild stocks from the accidental release of pen-reared stocks especially as it relates to salmon farming in British Columbia and its affects on Alaska's salmon stocks. Alaska fishermen in 2002 landed 3.25 million pounds of sablefish, which at an average price of $3.35 a pound, had an ex-vessel value of $10.89 million. The vast bulk of the state's catch was harvested in Southeast waters, which stand to be most impacted on environmental grounds by British Columbia fish farming efforts, according to the press release.
Cristy Fry has commercial fished in Homer since 1978, and has also designed and built gear for the industry. She currently longlines for halibut and sablefish, and gillnets salmon in upper Cook Inlet aboard the F/V Realist.
