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| 23. September 2011 |
Lachsfarmen in BC sind eine tödliche Gefahr für
Robben und Seelöwen – DFO veröffentlicht erstmals Daten |
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| Nach jahrelangem Druck von Umweltschutzorganisationen und vor allem der Kritiker der Zuchtlachsfarmen in BC veröffentlichte das Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) erstmals Daten darüber, wie viele Seehunde und Seelöwen die Fischfarmkonzerne um ihre Zuchtlachsfarmen herum töten lassen, um ihre industrielle Lachsmassenproduktion vor Übergriffen dieser fischfressenden Tiere zu schützen. „Salmon farmes prove deadly for B.C.’s sealions“, lautet daraufhin eine Pressemeldung der Living Oceans Society (LOS) vom 15. September. „Too many seals and sealions killed at B.C. fishfarms, say critics“, schrieb Evan Duggan am 16. September in der Vancouver Sun: „Between January and March, 37 harbour seals, 141 California sea lions and two Steller sea lions, which are of ‚special concern‘ under the federal Species at Risk Act, were shot and killed at fish farms, according to data posted on the DFO website. Three more harbour seals and a California sea lion drowned at the farms within the same period. Critics say that too many seals and sea lions are being killed in order to protect the industry’s cage-netted fish. The data are reported to the DFO by the individual salmon farms, said Catherine Stewart, the salmon farming campaign manager for Living Oceans, which opposes the farms. There is no day-to-day on-site monitoring by the government of these farms, she said.“ Trotzdem bleiben noch viele Fragen offen: „Are they reporting all of the deaths? Are all of the farms reporting“, fragt Catherine Stewart von der LOS. Alleine die Mahatta West-Fischfarm von Marine Harvest im Quatsino Sound tötete 46 Kalifornische Seelöwen. Mehr als 120 Seehunde und Seelöwen wurden um die verschiedenen Lachsfarmen von Marine Harvest entlang der Küste von BC getötet. Mehr als unglaubwürdig erscheint hierbei die Aussage von Ian Roberts, eines Firmensprechers von Marine Harvest: „Zero lethal interactions is our goal … We have now purchased additional protector nets to discourage these predators should they return next season.“ Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director der B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, versuchte eine hellhörig gewordene Öffentlichkeit zu beruhigen: „Disposing of these animals is a last resort … We don’t take this lightly.“ Wenig überzeugend erklärte sie: „Non-lethal solutions are preferred.“ |
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| Stellers Seelöwe (Eumetopias jubatus) © Klaus Pommerenke |
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| In seinem Artikel in der Vancouver Sun informiert Evan Duggan über weiteres Datenmaterial, welches das DFO jetzt erstmals vorlegte: „DFO started publicly disclosing the information about kills at the beginning of 2011, said Andrew Thomson, the director of aquaculture for the western office. He said the new system of transparency will cover several facets of the industry, including sea lice statistics, production numbers, fish health and mammal kills. In the six years that Thomson has monitored the kill numbers, culls are down, he said. In 1997, the worst year out of 13 reported, nearly 550 seals were killed, according to data previously recorded by DFO, but not posted on its website. The worst year for California sea lions was 2000, when about 250 were killed. Between 2002 and 2009, about 100 or fewer seals were killed each year. Twenty or fewer California sea lions were killed in that same period. The data are reported based on an honour system, as salmon farms report their kill numbers to the department. ‘The goal is to achieve visitations to 100 per cent of farms annually,’ Thomson said, when asked how the department verifies the statistics. A farm may be visited several times in a year if evidence of abuse arises, or disproportionate kills occur, he said.“ |
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| Stellers Seelöwe (Eumetopias jubatus) © Klaus Pommerenke |
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