Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of Aquaculture on Commercial Fisheries: Fishermen’s Local Ecological Knowledge

  • Published:
Human Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Bay of Fundy along the southwest coast of New Brunswick, Canada is one of the most densely stocked finfish aquaculture areas in the world. An inshore multi-species fishery that dates back to the earliest European settlement shares these waters, and has been the economic mainstay of coastal communities. These inshore fishermen are increasingly displaced by the expanding aquaculture industry. A recent study conducted among fishermen in Southwest New Brunswick recorded their observations about the environmental impact of finfish aquaculture and the consequences for their commercial fishery. Fishermen all reported significant environmental degradation around aquaculture sites. Within 2 years of an operation being established, fishermen reported that gravid female lobsters as well as herring avoid the area, scallop and sea urchin shells become brittle, scallop meat and sea urchin roe becomes discolored. The use of chemicals to control sea lice on farmed salmon has also caused lobster, crab and shrimp kills. These and other concerns suggest that more comprehensive and detailed studies are required to establish the environmental and economic interactions of aquaculture and the inshore fishery, as well as on the stocks on which that fishery rely. The study also points to the need for more effective use of fishermen’s knowledge in designing such studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. For density of aquaculture in this area see the Province of New Brunswick Marine Aquaculture Mapping site at http://www.gnb.ca/0027/Aqu/masm-e.asp, last accessed October 26, 2011.

  2. See http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/commercial/licences-permis/fishers-pecheurs/fp07-eng.htm, last accessed January 27, 2011. The statistics listed are for 2007.

  3. ISA is a viral disease of Atlantic salmon. Outbreaks have affected salmon aquaculture operations all over the world, most recently in Chile in November 2010 (see Zarnikow 2010, http://en.mercopress.com/2010/11/11/isa-virus-outbreak-detected-on-salmon-farm-in-southern-chile, downloaded January 27, 2011).

References

  • Abgrall, P., Rangeley, R. W., Burridge, L. E., and Lawton, P. (2000). Sublethal Effects of Azamethiphos on Shelter use by Juvenile Lobsters (Homarus americanus). Aquaculture 181: 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. M. (2007). The Salmon Connection. The Development of Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture in Canada. GlenMargaret Publishing, Tantallon, Nova Scotia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avis, W. S. (ed.) (1989). Funk and Wagnall’s Canadian College Dictionary. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Toronto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bavington, D. (2010). Managed Annihilation. An unnatural history of the Newfoundland Cod Collapse. UBC Press, Vancouver.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkes, F. (1999). Sacred Ecology. Taylor and Francis, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, K. (2010). Environmental aspects of aquaculture. In Culver. K., and Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 97–114.

  • Boudreau, B., Bourget, E., and Simard, Y. (1993). Behavioural Responses of Competent Lobster Postlarvae to Odor Plumes. Marine Biology 117: 63–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabello, F. C. (2006). Heavy use of Prophylactic Antibiotics in Aquaculture: A Growing Problem for Human and Animal Health and for the Environment. Environmental Microbiology 8(7): 1137–1144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, M. L., Cochrane, S., Fieler, R., Velvin, R., and White, P. (2003). Organic Enrichment of Sediments from Salmon Farming in Norway: Environmental Factors, Management Practices, and Monitoring Techniques. Aquaculture 226: 165–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, B. D., Page, F.H., Losier, R.J., Lawton, P., Singh, R., and Greenberg, D. A. (2007). Evaluation of Bay Management Area Scenarios for the Southwestern New Brunswick Salmon Aquaculture Industry: Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program final project report. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2722, Biological Station, St. Andrews, New Brunswick.

  • Costa-Pierce, B. A. (2008). Epilogue: Aquaculture, innovation and social transformation. In Culver, K., and Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 315–326.

  • Cubitt, F., Butterworth, K., and McKinley, R. S. (2010). A synopsis of environmental issues associated with salmon aquaculture in Canada. In Culver, K. and Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 123-162.

  • Curtis, D. G., Wiber, M. G. n.d. (2010) Fishermen’s information versus fishermen’s knowledge: The perspective from governance. Paper presented at the Fishermen Dependent Information Conference in Galway, Ireland on 23–26 August

  • Desjardins, P-M. (2007). Economic Impact of Lobster Sector - Province of New Brunswick and Its Counties. Government of New Brunswick. Accessed online at http://www.gnb.ca/9999/Publications/lobster.pdf on January 27, 2011.

  • DFO. (2010). Pathways of Effects for Finfish and Shellfish Aquaculture. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2009/071.

  • Doucet, R., and Wilbur, R. (2000). Herring Weirs: The Only Sustainable Fishery. Quebecor World Atlantic, Saint John.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ernst, W., Jackman, P., Doe, K., Page, F., Julian, G., MacKay, K., and Sutherland, T. (2001). Dispersion and Toxicity to Non-target Aquatic Organisms of Pesticides used to Treat Sea Lice on Salmon in Net Pen Enclosures. Marine Pollution Bulletin 42(6): 433–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairchild, W.L., Doe, K.G., Jackman, P.M., Arsenault, J.T., Aubé, J.G., Losier, M., Cook, A. M. (2010). Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Two Formulations of the Pyrethroid Pesticide Deltamethrin to an Amphipod, Sand Shrimp and Lobster Larvae. Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2876.

  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (2003). A scientific review of the potential environmental effects of aquaculture in aquatic ecosystems. Volume 1. Far-field environmental effects of marine finfish aquaculture (B.T. Hargrave); Ecosystem level effects of marine bivalve aquaculture (P. Cranford, M. Dowd, J. Grant, B. Hargrave and S. McGladdery); Chemical use in marine finfish aquaculture in Canada: a review of current practices and possible environmental effects (L.E. Burridge). Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2450.

  • Felt, L. (2010). “It all depends on the lens, b’y”: Local ecological knowledge and institutional science in an expending finfish aquaculture sector. In Culver, K., Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 167-190.

  • Findlay, R. H., Watling, L., and Mayer, L. M. (1995). Environmental Impact of Salmon Net-pen Culture on Marine Benthic Communities in Maine: A Case Study. Estuaries 18(1): 145–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fogarty, M. J., and Gendron, L. (2004). Biological Reference Points for American Lobster (Homarus americanus) Populations: Limits to Exploitation and the Precautionary Approach. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61: 1392–1403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • French, E. (2010a). Lobster Deaths Raise Questions After Traces of Pesticide Found. The Quoddy Tides, February 26, 2010: A1 and 34.

  • French, E. (2010b). Fish Farmers Challenged by Sea Lice Outbreaks. The Quoddy Tides, September 24, 2010: A1.

  • Friends of Port Mouton Bay. (2011). Trace metals in sea-surface microlayer (Sampling 2010 and 2011). Available at http://www.friendsofportmoutonbay.ca/documents.html, last accessed October 27, 2011.

  • Gardener Pinfold. (2010). Economic Impact of the New Brunswick Ocean Sector 2003-2008. Report prepared for the Government of New Brunswick and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Last accessed online on October 17, 2011 at http://www.gnb.ca/9999/publications/ocean.pdf.

  • Government of Canada. (1996). Canada Oceans Act, RSC (1996). Bill C-26, Chapter 31.

  • Government of Canada. (1985). The Fisheries Act, R.S. c. F-14, s.1.

  • Graham, J., Engle, S., and Recchia, M. (2002). Local Knowledge and Local Stocks. An Atlas of Groundfish Spawning in the Bay of Fundy. The Center for Community Based Management, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustafson, R. (2011). Are salmon pen pesticides killing lobsters? The Working Waterfront February/March, Vol. 24, No. 1, page 3.

  • Haya, K., Burridge, L. E., and Chang, B. D. (2001). Environmental Impact of Chemical Wastes Produced by the Salmon Aquaculture Industry. ICES Journal of Marine Science 58: 492–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaslip, R. (2008). Monitoring Salmon Aquaculture Waste: The contribution of First Nations’ Rights, Knowledge, and Practices in British Columbia, Canada. Marine Policy 32: 988–996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, N., Michael, K. P., Frazer, A., and Leslie, S. (2010). The Utility and Risk of Local Ecological Knowledge in Developing Stakeholder Driven Fisheries Management: The Foveaux Strait Dredge Oyster Fishery, New Zealand. Ocean & Coastal Management 53: 659–668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, S., and Pushchak, R. (2008). Incorporating Cumulative Effects into Environmental Assessments of Mariculture: Limitations and Failures of Current Siting Methods. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 28(8): 572–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, R. A. (1998). Analyzing & Reporting Focus Group Results. Focus Group Kit 6. Thousand Oaks, California and London: Sage Publications.

  • Lane, D., Michalowski,W., Stephenson, R., Page, F. (2010). Integrated systems analysis for marine site evaluations and multicriteria decision support for coastal aquaculture. In Culver, K., Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 255-264.

  • Lotze, H., and Milewski, I. (2004). Two Centuries of Multiple Human Impacts and Successive Changes in a North Atlantic Food Web. Ecological Applications 14(5): 1428–1447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, J. (2001). Landlords, Leaseholders & Sweat Equity: Changing Property Regimes in Aquaculture. Marine Policy 25: 335–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maurstad, A., Dale, T., and Bjorn, P. A. (2007). You Wouldn’t Spawn in a Septic Tank, Would You? Human Ecology 35: 601–610.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milewski, I. (2001). Impacts of salmon aquaculture on the coastal environment: a review. In Tlusty, M. F., Bengston, D. A., Halvorson, H. O., Oktay, S. D., Pearce, J. B., and Rheault Jr., R. B. (eds.), Marine Aquaculture and the Environment: A Meeting for Stakeholders in the Northeast. Cape Cod Press, Falmouth, Massachusetts. Pp. 166–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, D. L. (1998). The Focus Group Guidebook. Focus Group Kit 1. Thousand Oaks, California and London: Sage Publications.

  • Neis, B., and Felt, L. (eds.) (2000). Finding Our Sea Legs: Linking Fisheries People and Their Knowledge with Science and Management. St. John’s, NFLD, ISER Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • New Brunswick. (2009). Aquaculture Sector In Review 2009. www.gnb.ca/aquaculture.

  • Palmer, C., and Wadley, R. (2007). Local Environmental Knowledge, Talk and Skepticism: Using ‘LES’ to Distinquish ‘LEK’ from ‘LET’ in Newfoundland. Human Ecology 35: 749–760.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palys, T. (1992). Research Decisions. Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives. Harcourt Brace, Toronto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rayner, B. (2009). Lobster Fishermen Concerned About Pesticide Use. Courier Weekend, June 12, 2009, page A2.

  • Rayner, B. (2010a). Officials Checking Dead Lobsters. The Saint Croix Courier, January 12, 2010, page 6.

  • Rayner, B. (2010b). Health Canada Approves Continued Use of Salmosan. St. Croix Courier, November 2010. Accessed online at http://stcroixcourier.ca/fullnews.php?view=406 on January 26, 2011.

  • Rowe, S. (2002). Population Parameters of American Lobster Inside and Outside No-take Reserves in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Fisheries Research 56: 167–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saner, M. A. (2010). Ethics, governance and regulation. In Culver, K., Castle, D. (eds.), Aquaculture, Innovation and Social Transformation. Springer. Pp. 115-122.

  • Sephton, D. H., Haya, K., Martin, J. L., LeGresley, M. M., and Page, F. H. (2007). Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Zooplankton, Mussels, Lobsters and Caged Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, During a Bloom of Alexandrium fundyense off Grand Manan Island, in the Bay of Fundy. Harmful Algae 6(5): 745–758.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, R. (1990). Multiuse Conflict: Aquaculture Collides with Traditional Fisheries in Canada’s Bay of Fundy. World Aquaculture 21(3): 34–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swartenbroux, F., Albajedo, B., Angelidis, M., Aulne, M., Bartkevics, V., Besada, V., Bignert, A., Bitterhof, A., Hallikainen, A., Hoogenboom, R., Jorhem, L., Jud, M., Law, R., Licht Cederberg, D., McGovern, E., Miniero, R., Schneider, R., Velikova, V., Verstraete, F., Vinas, L., and Vlad, S. (2010). Joint Report of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Task Group 9. Contaminants in Fish and Other Seafood. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports. European Commission Joint Research Center, Ispra Italy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Telfer, T. C., Baird, D. J., McHenery, J. G., Stone, J., Sutherland, I., and Wislocki, P. (2006). Environmental Effects of the Anti-sea Lice (Copepoda: Caligidae) Therapeutant Emamectin Benzoate under Commercial use Conditions in the Marine Environment. Aquaculture 260: 163–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trotter, B. (2011). Pesticide use, lobster deaths probed in Down East waters. Bangor Daily News 1/7. Page 11.

  • Walters, B. (2007). Competing use of Marine Space in a Modernizing Fishery: Salmon Farming meets Lobster Fishing in the Bay of Fundy. The Canadian Geographer 51(2): 139–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiber, M., and Kearney, J. (2009). Learning communities and legal spaces: community-based fisheries management in a globalizing world. In von Benda-Beckman, F., von Benda-Beckmann, K., and Griffiths, A. (eds.), The Power of Law in a Transnational World. Berghan Press, New York, pp. 137–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiber, M., Turner, B. (2010). Moral Talk: The Ontological Politics of Sustainable Development. Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology Working Paper 123. Haale/Saale, Germany.

  • Williams, T. (2011). Fundy Feedlots. Atlantic Salmon Journal (Spring): 32-37.

  • Willis, K. J., Gillibrand, P. A., Cromey, C. J., and Black, K. D. (2005). Sea lice Treatments on Salmon farms have no Adverse Effects on Zooplankton Communities: A Case Study. Marine Pollution Bulletin 50: 806–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, R. S. S. (1995). The Environmental Impact of Marine Fish Culture: Towards a Sustainable Future. Marine Pollution Bulletin 31(4–12): 159–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarnikow, D. (2010). ISA Virus Outbreak Detected on Salmon Farm in southern Chile. Santiago Times, November 11, 2010. See http://en.mercopress.com/2010/11/11/isa-virus-outbreak-detected-on-salmon-farm-in-southern-chile, downloaded January 27, 2010.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was facilitated by the Coastal CURA (see www.coastalcura.ca), a five-year project that investigated the role of communities in integrated management. The authors thank the Coastal CURA for research funding, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for supporting the Coastal CURA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada

    Melanie Gay Wiber

  2. Fundy North Fishermen’s Association, St. Andrews, NB, Canada

    Sheena Young

  3. Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Lisette Wilson

Authors
  1. Melanie Gay Wiber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sheena Young
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lisette Wilson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melanie Gay Wiber.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wiber, M.G., Young, S. & Wilson, L. Impact of Aquaculture on Commercial Fisheries: Fishermen’s Local Ecological Knowledge. Hum Ecol 40, 29–40 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-011-9450-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-011-9450-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation