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Norwegian filmmaker will risk prison to protect wild salmon

Factory farming salmon destroys irreplaceable wild ecosystems

[caption id="attachment_12160" align="aligncenter" width="773"] Mikael Frödin[/caption] Google Translation of TV2 article on Mikael Frödin's secret filming at Grieg's salmon farm:

There is no human who would eat the salmon we took pictures of

Mikael Frödin is concerned that the aquaculture industry eradicates the wild cactus and destroys the ecosystem. If it takes twenty days in prison to shed light on the problem, he exclaims with pleasure. Mikael Frödin is concerned that the aquaculture industry eradicates the wild cactus and destroys the ecosystem. If it takes twenty days in prison to shed light on the problem, he exclaims with pleasure. The fishery filmed into Grieg Seafoods fish farms, and does not think there is a man who would eat the salmon he took pictures of. Salmon breeders disagree with the criticism. In July 2017, Swedish Mikael Frödin was to investigate the conditions for farmed salmon in Grieg Seafood's fish farm in Altafjorden. He was seriously concerned about how the aquaculture industry affects the wild sea in Norway. The case was first mentioned by Fiskejournalen.se. The mats in which farmed salmon is located is protected by section 18 of the Aquaculture Regulations prohibiting traffic closer than 20 meters. The seed tells us that it is impossible to get an insight into the conditions from such a distance.

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"We had no choice, we had to get closer," he said. Grieg Seafood chose to report and Frödin was fined with NOK 10,000. - If I had thought this was an incorrect action, I would have paid the boat. I acknowledge the action, but not illegal with it, he says. Now, Frödin must meet in Alta District Court on November 2nd. "Can twenty days in prison save the Norwegian villaksen, it's worth it, for now urgency," says Frödin. Mikael Frödin says that he took this picture when he studied farmed salmon in Altafjorden. The stains on the tail are open wounds on the salmon. Mikael Frödin is a famous sports fisherman and documentary company. He is among other things known from SVT's award-winning documentary "In Storlaksen's Kingdom". The seed has fished in Altaelva for 25 years and when he filmed down in the salmon marshes in Altafjorden, it was in connection with a new documentary film project. "We did not know what was expecting us, but I knew I had to be my own first hand source to understand how the circumstances actually were," says Frödin. He tells him he took a number of precautions before deciding to break the law. They parked the boat outside the boundaries and wore new wet suits to not affect or expose the salmon to contagion. "The sight that met us in the cage was 70,000 savory salmon. The salmon was deformed, several had open wounds and fungal infection was widespread, says Frödin. He believes that the pictures document that there is no doubt that the conditions for farmed salmon are bad. According to Frödin, this is also a picture from when he brought a camera into one of the salmon demers. He believes this salmon is blind, affected by fungal infection and dying. Photo: Private "There is not a single person who would eat that salmon," said the documentary maker. If the cows of a farm had the same deformation, fungal infection and open wounds, Frödin believes that the farm had been notified a long time ago. "Since the fish farming industry operates under the sea surface, it's impossible to review the business without getting closer than twenty meters," he says. Will save the villak before it's too late "I see it as my journalistic duty to show the public the negative impact aquaculture plants have on the villak," says Frödin. That's why he risks prison rather than paying the boat.

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The seeds say that when farmed salmon escapes and mates with wild salmon it will lead to genetic contamination. He also doubts that diseases and lice can infect the wild stock and that lice poisons and livers added antibiotics leak out of the cages and destroy the ecosystem. "If it takes more than 100,000 years to build an ecosystem, it may take 10 years to destroy it again. We must act quickly, so that the wax is not completely eradicated, "says Fröden and asks: What is the price of an ecosystem? He wants to emphasize that he is not an enemy of Norwegian aquaculture, but that he is an enemy of how the industry is operating now. - The solution already exists. We can have salmon farming in closed systems or on land. In this way, you will maintain the industry while protecting the wild and ecosystems, "says Fröden. Roger Pedersen, community contact in Grieg Seafood, explains that they first wanted to enter into dialogue with Mikael Frödin, after the incident last summer. When they did not receive a response, they decided to report, on the advice of the Directorate of Fisheries. Roger Pedersen is a community contact at Grieg Seafood, one of the world's leading salmon farming companies. Roger Pedersen is a community contact at Grieg Seafood, one of the world's leading salmon farming companies. "We have a big responsibility above the villaksen. Rules for traffic at fish farms will ensure that no damage and salmon escape, but also prevent infection in the plant, "says Pedersen. He rejects the criticism that the villak is living in poor conditions .- In a population of over 100,000 salmon there will always be some losers. There are few salmon that are sick, as it is a matter of individuals, "says Pedersen. He says that the fish farm has good routines to control the salmon. The breeders examine the fish daily and ill fish are separated from the rest and killed. In addition, the facility has visits by fish health professionals once a month. These inspections are governed by their own regulations and the reports are made available to Mattilsyn and other supervisory authorities. "Our salmon has the best fasting system in Norway," says Pedersen. Researching possibilities for closed aquaculture facilities. The Altajva plant is located near Altaelva, which is popular with anglers. Roger Pedersen explains that Grieg Seafood therefore feels on a major responsibility above the villak. Each year, the Norwegian Institute of Natural Research (NINA) analyzes shells of salmon fishermen catching in the summer months. From 2013 to 2015, the proportion of farmed salmon in Altaelva was three percent. In 2017 the percentage was 0.15 and he promises good numbers for 2018. "It is a development we are very proud of and the way we want it to be," says Pedersen. He says that the company thinks two thoughts in the head at the same time when they are thinking of the future. "We are constantly working on perfecting the way we produce salmon today, which is a sustainable method for the future too. At the same time, we have an application that explores possibilities for closed farms. How the food will look in five years is hard to say, he says. Roger Pedersen ends with wishing Mikael Frödin is welcome to Grieg Seafood.- We have nothing to hide. He is welcome here to see how we work.

Take the pledge to never eat farmed salmon