Sir, - With the introduction of new and very welcome measures to conserve our wild salmon stocks and the aquaculture industry's continuing belligerent denial of any connection between its activities and the destruction of our sea trout stocks, it might be timely to draw your reader's attention to a 1999 Royal Norwegian Commission report on the status of wild salmon stocks in Norway.
In Chapter 5 it states: "Due to the growth of aquaculture, the salmon louse has hosts in coastal waters year-round. Adult salmon and smolts have increased the incidence of lice infestations in areas with considerable fish farming, and salmon lice are probably a significant cause of mortality in migrating smolts.. .Several hundred thousand farm salmon escape annually and mix with the wild salmon in the sea.. .Escaped fish together with salmon lice are regarded by the authorities as the biggest environmental problem connected with fish farming today."
Your readers may be interested to note that, coincidentally, the greater part of the Irish salmon farming industry is currently in the process of being acquired by Norwegian salmon farming interests. - Yours, etc.,
Mark Helmore, Chairman, New Quay, Burren, Co Clare.