Protect Organic Standards - Say No to "Organic" Farmed Salmon
- af: Pure Salmon Campaign and Food and Water Watch
- mottagare: National Organic Standards Board
The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) - the government body that determines what "organic" means in the US - is meeting this fall to decide whether certain farmed fish, including carnivorous fish such as salmon, should be eligible for the organic label. But current salmon farming practices harm the environment and are not in line with organic principles. As consumers, we need to stand up and say no to the watering down of our organic food standards.
Specifically, it is critical that the NOSB prohibit the use of wild fish for feed and open net pens in any organic fish production:
Specifically, it is critical that the NOSB prohibit the use of wild fish for feed and open net pens in any organic fish production:
- There is no such thing as "organic" wild fish. Therefore, farmed fish that depend on wild fish for feed would consume a non-organic food, which violates core organic principles.
- Carnivorous farmed fish consume more fish than they produce. In a time when many wild fish populations are in danger, the farming of carnivorous fish actually places more pressure on our oceans and wild fish populations.
- Open net pen farming damages the environment. Open-net pens dump waste directly into the marine environment, polluting our oceans; these pens also enable the spread of diseases and parasites between farmed fish and wild fish. Marine mammals sometimes become entangled and drown in the nets of open pens.
To the National Organic Standards Board:
As a consumer of seafood in the United States, I urge the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to prohibit the use wild fish as a feed source and "open net pen" farming systems in organic farm-raised fish production. [YOUR PERSONAL COMMENT HERE]
The feeding of wild fish to organic farm-raised fish concerns me for three, critical reasons:
1) Organic feed should be 100 percent organic - Wild fish is not "organic," therefore, it is impossible for wild fishmeal and oil used as feed to be "organic." A decade ago, nearly 300,000 consumers told the USDA that they wanted strict organic production requirements, including 100 percent organic feed for livestock. I insist that the standard be no lower for organic farmed fish.
2) Organic farming practices should not damage the environment - By using wild fish as farmed fish feed, we put additional pressure on these wild fish populations that are already in trouble, many of which play a critical role in the marine food web. Organic standards should not allow any practices that lead to loss of wildlife or harm important ecological systems.
3) Organic food should be free of or lower in contaminants - Carnivorous farmed fish have been shown to accumulate higher levels of contaminants such as PCBs than their wild counterparts, due to the heavy intake of wild fishmeal and oil. Organic food should contain, at the very least, fewer contaminants than non-organic alternatives.
I also do not support open net pens [mesh cages anchored in the ocean environment] for two, key reasons:
1) Organic farming systems should at least collect, if not recycle, wastes - In open net pen fish farming, uneaten feed and wastes from the fish flow directly into and pollute the marine environment. It is impossible to fully collect and/or recycle these wastes from open net pen fish farms.
2) Organic farming systems should not endanger wild fish or marine mammals � Scientific research has shown that open net pens can lead to the escapes of farmed fish into the wild. These cages also facilitate the spread of diseases and parasites from farmed fish to wild fish. Escapes and diseases threaten the survival of wild fish in the area. There are many documented cases of marine mammals, including endangered species, becoming entangled and drowning in the nets of open net pen fish farms.
I support organic standards for farmed fish that are in accord with organic principles; specifically vegetarian fish species farmed in fully closed systems. However, if the NOSB decides to include non-organic feed and open net pens in organic farmed fish standards, my confidence in the USDA organic label will be greatly diminished.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Skriv underSkriv underAs a consumer of seafood in the United States, I urge the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to prohibit the use wild fish as a feed source and "open net pen" farming systems in organic farm-raised fish production. [YOUR PERSONAL COMMENT HERE]
The feeding of wild fish to organic farm-raised fish concerns me for three, critical reasons:
1) Organic feed should be 100 percent organic - Wild fish is not "organic," therefore, it is impossible for wild fishmeal and oil used as feed to be "organic." A decade ago, nearly 300,000 consumers told the USDA that they wanted strict organic production requirements, including 100 percent organic feed for livestock. I insist that the standard be no lower for organic farmed fish.
2) Organic farming practices should not damage the environment - By using wild fish as farmed fish feed, we put additional pressure on these wild fish populations that are already in trouble, many of which play a critical role in the marine food web. Organic standards should not allow any practices that lead to loss of wildlife or harm important ecological systems.
3) Organic food should be free of or lower in contaminants - Carnivorous farmed fish have been shown to accumulate higher levels of contaminants such as PCBs than their wild counterparts, due to the heavy intake of wild fishmeal and oil. Organic food should contain, at the very least, fewer contaminants than non-organic alternatives.
I also do not support open net pens [mesh cages anchored in the ocean environment] for two, key reasons:
1) Organic farming systems should at least collect, if not recycle, wastes - In open net pen fish farming, uneaten feed and wastes from the fish flow directly into and pollute the marine environment. It is impossible to fully collect and/or recycle these wastes from open net pen fish farms.
2) Organic farming systems should not endanger wild fish or marine mammals � Scientific research has shown that open net pens can lead to the escapes of farmed fish into the wild. These cages also facilitate the spread of diseases and parasites from farmed fish to wild fish. Escapes and diseases threaten the survival of wild fish in the area. There are many documented cases of marine mammals, including endangered species, becoming entangled and drowning in the nets of open net pen fish farms.
I support organic standards for farmed fish that are in accord with organic principles; specifically vegetarian fish species farmed in fully closed systems. However, if the NOSB decides to include non-organic feed and open net pens in organic farmed fish standards, my confidence in the USDA organic label will be greatly diminished.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
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