Salmonids: In Troubled Waters


Overview - Salmonids: Wild or Farmed? Background: Is Aquaculture a solution for the problem of over fishing the Salmonid species? How much food should the ocean provide for a hungry planet? In the past, the fisheries were the main source of salmon for the market. Overfishing of the stocks threatened to seriously damage the population of salmon. Today, aquaculture seems to be the solution we are looking for. Is aquaculture really the best idea? There are many issues surrounding this debate. Though aquaculture is a source of plentiful, cheap, and nutritous fish, many people are concerned about its enviromental impact and the harm it may cause to the local ecosystem. Examine the facts for yourself! Purpose and Audience In this site, created for grade 6-9 students, we will delve into many aspects of aquaculture and salmon in the wild. Besides describing how fish farms operate, we will try to cover how modern fisheries work and provide a contrast between the two. We will also describe the life cycle of wild salmon, and explain the basics of salmon anatomy. Fish farming is a worldwide concern, so we will describe its applications in several different countries. Salmonid face many threats to their survival, from disease to dramatic climate changes. These issues will also have our attention. To further your understanding in these areas, we have created a number of highly interactive games. The Salmon Farm Game allows you to create and run a salmon farm; the Dissection Game lets you dissect a salmon and learn about its inner anatomy; the Salmon Survival Game lets you guide a salmon on its journey to the ocean from alevin to smolt; the Stream Builder Game lets you design the perfect stream for salmon eggs to hatch. You will find many other quizzes and activites to enjoy as you navigate through this site.
SPECIES ,	Learn about the different species of salmon, their characteristics, and their life cycle.	THREATS	An overview of the many threats salmon face, from disease to enviromental disaster.
WILD	Describes the techniques used by fisheries and gives an aboriginal perspective.	FARMED	Learn all about salmon farming and the debate that rages over it.

Overview - Salmonids: Wild or Farmed?