Book Patagonia The New Fish

In the early 1970s, a group of scientists sought solutions to increase the food available for the growing global population. They turned to the sea. After sampling the genes of different salmon from 41 rivers in Norway and Sweden, they designed a new salmon, fatter and with faster growth. This extraordinary innovation marked the beginning of a new industry: salmon farming.This industry spread from the coasts of Norway to Scotland, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Chile, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the United States. Sales soared, jobs were created, and a new food, farmed salmon, spread around the world. Everywhere, people bought and enjoyed this fish available in abundance: grilled, poached, roasted, in sushi or sashimi. There was gratitude for this delicious and inexpensive protein.But at what cost?We now know that unforeseen consequences arose: some of these fish escaped, competing with other fish in the sea for food. The new fish spread diseases, sea lice multiplied, and the populati...