FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2010

Pure Salmon Campaign hosts screening of “Farmed Salmon Exposed” at Seafood Summit

Film reveals dangers posed by open-net salmon farms

PARIS – For the first time in France, the Pure Salmon Campaign today hosted a film screening to show how Norwegian salmon farming operations in British Columbia and Chile threaten iconic wildlife and the marine environment.

“Farmed Salmon Exposed: The Global Reach of the Norwegian Salmon Farming Industry,” produced by Canadian filmmaker Damien Gillis, visually portrays the damage caused by open-net salmon farms to marine ecosystems worldwide. It features firsthand accounts of the environmental and cultural problems linked to global salmon farms. Norwegian-based firms dominate world production of farmed salmon.

Norwegian owned salmon farms pollute the marine environment, spread sea lice and infectious diseases and allow mass escapes that have plagued Canada, Chile, Scotland, Ireland and in Norway.

“These Norwegian salmon farming companies should know that their business is having a huge negative impact on our Chilean environment,” said Alex Munoz, vice president, Oceana Chile. “The Chilean State must also assume its role as regulator, and promote as soon as possible drastic measures on critical environmental issues such as antibiotics use reduction and prevention of salmon escapes, among others.”

Since November, Pure Salmon Campaign coalition partners have been showing “Farmed Salmon Exposed” to diverse audiences throughout the U.S., Canada, Chile, Scotland, Ireland, England and Norway. Members of the campaign have been leveraging this documentary to call on industry leaders to adopt more sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices. To date, major producers of farmed salmon have received thousands of emails urging them to clean up their act.

Just last week, Target, the U.S.–based mass retailer, announced that it will no longer sell farmed salmon in any of its stores. Target is the first major U.S. retailer to make such a move and based its decision on the fact that salmon farms in open water cause significant harm to the surrounding marine environment.

“Retailers are beginning to get the message,” said Don Staniford, Global Coordinator, Pure Salmon Campaign. “Target’s decision to stop selling farmed salmon is a big step in the right direction. Hopefully, other major retailers, in the U.S. and elsewhere will soon follow suit.”

To watch a clip of “Farmed Salmon Exposed,” go to http://farmedsalmonexposed.org/2009/multimedia.html.

The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global project with partners in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Chile all working to improve the way salmon is produced. To learn more, go to www.puresalmon.org.

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