October 20, 2006

Calls for stricter labels for US farmed fish

Proposed organic standards for US farmed fish should come under tighter scrutiny, according to an advocacy group.

The Washington-based National Environmental Trust, which runs the Pure Salmon Campaign, is urging the USDA to review its standards for organic fish farming.

The contentious point lies in that farm-raised salmon are not permitted to migrate naturally, say the campaign's supporters. Also, as these fish feed on fishmeal originating from wild-catch, it poses a problem to depleting ocean fish stocks, it was added.

Other issues which the USDA will look into involve requisites that fish farmers will have to meet in order to earn the "organic" label; regulating pesticides, chemicals and hormone use; and practices to keep fish from escaping into the sea.

The country's National Organic Standards Board is expected to issue its recommendations on the matter.

In Chile, the environmental impact of fish farming was a key topic at the BC Hearings on Aquaculture.

An expert was quoted as saying that while it is to the industry's advantage that standards are currently in place, new recommendations must be put in place.

Also, the trend of larger fish farms acquiring smaller ones has led to a monopolistic tendency in Chile's aquatic fish industry, which has impacted on environmental standards and employment.