Just as big and small corporations want to damage our environment to make money, there are those, aided by some non-profit groups, who want to exploit our Gulf waters, not caring what damage they may do.
This is the case of polluting fish farms off shore, aided by Mote Marine Lab of Sarasota.
Acquaculure proponents lie and say there is no risk, but the history of aquaculture is just like mining — there are ALWAYS unforeseen accidents. History shows this to be true.
The following information was sent out by Healthy Gulf and we thank them for the good work they do.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
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Florida’s Gulf coast is under threat. The Federal government and private companies are proposing to further industrialize the Gulf of Mexico with multiple industrial-scale fish farms off south, central and northwest Florida. Offshore fish farms, like those proposed here, cause pollution and harm wild fish populations in many areas around the world. Let Florida’s elected officials know that you oppose this type of industrial use of our Gulf waters. Florida’s coastal waters are already struggling, from dead zones and algae blooms to impacts from industrial pollution and oil and gas drilling. Some of these proposed facilities would even conflict with the habitat of the Rice’s whale–one of the most endangered animals on the planet. The fish waste from large fish farms would add nutrients that could further fuel harmful algal blooms like red tide, while also causing the further loss of wild forage fish, such as menhaden that would be caught and processed into food for farmed fish. This is in contrast to well-established local methods for producing seafood responsibly, including many examples of shellfish farming in coastal waters and recirculating systems on land that do not discharge pollutants from fish waste to waterways. We’re calling on our Federal elected officials to help us protect and restore our Gulf coast beaches and waters. Please join with people across Florida who are letting elected officials know that we can’t jeopardize the health of the Gulf with industrial fish farms. For a healthy Gulf, |
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