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Protect Our Oceans, Coastal Communities, & Seafood Safety (Organization)

Protect Our Oceans, Coastal Communities, & Seafood Safety

Right now, Congress is considering legislation that would, for the first time, open our federal oceans to industrial fish farming. Unfortunately, this method of fish farming poses a serious threat to seafood consumers, the marine environment, and coastal economies.

Industrial fish farms can use chemicals, hormones, anti-fungal agents, and fish feeds with known carcinogens and heavy metals such as mercury, all of which can make it onto consumer’s dinner plates. They also can harm wild fish populations and the marine environment by using large quantities of wild fish to feed farmed fish, by polluting the local marine environment, and through escapes of farmed fish. Finally, industrial fish farming can harm coastal economies by decreasing the numbers of wild fish and by depressing wild fish prices received by fishing communities.

Therefore, __________________________ urges our members of Congress to oppose fish farm legislation that does not:

• Protect consumers from farmed fish containing chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, heavy metals, and any other dangerous substances.
• Preserve the marine environment by limiting the use of wild fish to feed farmed fish, prohibiting the farming of genetically engineered and non-native fish, and taking other necessary measures to protect wild fish and prevent pollution. 
• Promote viable coastal economies by protecting small-scale fishing businesses.
• Empower citizens by establishing mandatory environmental standards and allowing citizens to challenge fish farms that violate these standards.

For more information, contact Sascha Bollag at (202) 683–2443 or sbollag(at)fwwatch.org.

www.foodandwaterwatch.org/fishfarming