24 September 2008

 

Around the world, coastal environments and economies, wild fish and other marine life have been affected by the expansion of large-scale farming of fish, shrimp and certain kinds of shellfish. Few safeguards are in place as marine feedlots produce commodity seafoods, resulting in habitat loss, pollution, competition for food, and diminished access and quality of life for coastal residents. Citizens can turn the tide by educating elected officials about the need to protect our local waters and tidelands, as well as keeping open cage fish farms from the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 3-200 miles offshore, currently promoted by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce/NOAA.

 

Date:              Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Location:        Leif Erikson Hall
                       2245 NW 57^th
                       Seattle, WA 98107

6-7 pm -  Refreshments and Leikarringen Norwegian dancers

7-9:30 pm - “Industrial Aquaculture: Food or Folly?”

Anne Mosness, Go Wild Campaign:  NOAA’s promotion of salmon, geoduck and blackcod farming in Washington and the “National Offshore Aquaculture Act” allowing thousands of cages in our EEZ.

Laura Hendricks, Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat: Degradation of tidelands and loss of forage fish/salmon habitat from industrial geoduck production.

Alfredo Quarto, Mangrove Action Project:  Impacts of large-scale shrimp farming and MAP’s “Shrimp Less, Think More” consumer campaign to decrease consumption of farmed shrimp.

and special guest:

Kurt Willy Oddekalv, Leader of Norges Miljovernforbund (Green Warriors of Norway): Advocating major changes in the global fish farming industry and in Norway.

Informational displays:

Risks from Bristol Bay’s proposed Pebble Mine and offshore oil and gas drilling;
Puget Sound clean up activities;
Wild fish restoration projects;
Fishing and conservation organizations.

Event donations and tabling requests are welcome.

Contacts:

Anne Mosness 360-671-6478, Email: eatwildfish@aol.com
Alfredo Quarto 360- 452-5866, Email: mangroveap@olympus.net

Download event flyer (pdf)