Billions of Fish Dead as Farms Devastate Wildlife Populations

The world’s population relies on fish farms to get seafood in markets and grocery stores. However, their sustainability has come into question due to the significant number of dead fish at these facilities. How has fish farming led to these devastating consequences? 

Here’s what’s happening in the fishing industry. 

How Many Fish Are Dying in Farms?

Fish of all varieties are dying in farms at alarming rates. The numbers get even worse when you look at salmon, especially in a new Scientific Reports study. 

Researchers from the University of Victoria found 865 million salmon died between 2012 and 2022 in the countries producing the most of this species. These nations included Australia, Norway, New Zealand, Chile, Canada, and the U.K., which produce around 92% of the world’s farmed salmon. 

Why did so many fish die in a decade? The University of Victoria researchers attributed the higher rate to new technologies and production methods that expose the creatures to increased mortality rates. 

With artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies entering the fold, fish farming has intensified to meet production requirements. Ultimately, it could affect the salmon on your plate when you make dinner. 

Why Is Fish Farming Causing So Much Harm?

More experts are saying fish farms have become out of control and are harming the environment. How have they become damaging? Here are three reasons for the increased unsustainability.  

1. Reducing Wild Fish Populations

As the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. However, you may have to change your phrasing due to overfishing. 

Fish farms have become reliant on wild species to feed the ones in controlled environments. This continued practice has significantly reduced the populations of herring, anchovies and sardines. 

A new Science Advanced study outlines how out of hand the reliance on wild fish has become. In their paper, the researchers said the fish input to farmed output ratio was up to 307% higher than previously reported. 

Therefore, fish farming has started decimating the populations of the wild species it needs most for feeding. The researchers also said climate change is an issue, as oceans store carbon and are changing with rising temperatures. 

2. Abuse at Fish Farms

Animal mistreatment is hardly new, but it has made waves within the fishing industry. Reports have alleged abuse at three salmon farms in the United Kingdom — a notable global fish supplier. 

Animal Equality — a California-based nonprofit organization — obtained drone footage from whistleblowers displaying these events. For instance, it found salmon left out of the water for up to three minutes, which violates guidelines from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). 

In other instances, footage showed workers kicking, hitting and suffocating the fish. Further RSPCA violations occurred when employees at the fish farms dunked the salmon into a bucket of anesthesia and held it by the tail. 

Salmon deserve fair treatment, whether in an aquarium or in the ocean blue. However, recent reports have yet to indicate the existence of sustainable conditions. 

3. Lice Spread

One of the more shocking elements of the Animal Equality report was the lice outbreaks. Investigators found these fish farming entities used cleaning fish to eat lice off the farmed salmon. 

If the lice infestation was too much to bear, the workers would throw the salmon back into the ocean. Therefore, the farms are doing more harm than good to the sea by causing biosecurity hazards. 

Industry experts fear parasitic sea lice and chemical treatment have overtaken the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Past investigations have found fish farming has ruined the marine ecosystem in Scotland and other nations. 

So, what happens if salmon get lice? When this infection occurs, you can no longer sell the fish for food. Plus, it can cause massive deaths among the fish. 

What Can Solve the Fish Farming Crisis? 

Sourcing fish from farms has environmental merits. However, the conditions and outrageous number of deaths are hard to ignore. 

That said, what can fix the problems? Reducing fish deaths starts with prioritizing sustainability over everything else. Limit the amount of chemicals and waste entering the sea. 

Salmon and other fish rely on specific temperatures for survival, so ruining the water with chemicals, parasitic lice and other contaminants doesn’t help. 

Farming fish has damaged the ecosystem and contributed to rising ocean temperatures. Experts say 90% of the world’s energy comes from the sea, so changes are needed. 

Here are a few solutions for increasing sustainability in the fishing industry:

• Quotas: Implement quotas on how many wild fish can be caught annually. 
• Nets: Regulate fishing nets and mandate farms lower the top end of their nets, thus reducing the mortality rate among marine life. 
• Water quality: Monitor the water quality of fish farms by inspecting oxygen and pH levels. 

Improving the Quality of Fish Worldwide

People worldwide depend on fish for their daily diet. Therefore, proper treatment and sustainable practices are necessary for the long haul. 

Recent investigations have shown mistreatment and improper practices leading to millions of dead fish. If the fishing industry wishes to remain intact, it must button up.