The Washington Post reports that the National Organic Standards Board has approved new standards that “would allow organic fish farmers to use wild fish as part of their feed mix provided it did not exceed 25 percent of the total and did not come from forage species, such as menhaden, that have declined sharply as the demand for farmed fish has skyrocketed.” The move, according to the Post, “pleased aquaculture producers even as it angered environmentalists and consumer advocates.”
The standards still need to be approved by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“Environmentalists and consumer advocates blasted the recommendations,” the Post writes. “Activists questioned why up to 25 percent of fish feed could be made up of non-organic material, while all other animals certified as organic must eat 100 percent organic feed. They also noted that open-net pens can harm the environment by allowing fish waste and disease to pollute the ocean.”
The standards still need to be approved by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“Environmentalists and consumer advocates blasted the recommendations,” the Post writes. “Activists questioned why up to 25 percent of fish feed could be made up of non-organic material, while all other animals certified as organic must eat 100 percent organic feed. They also noted that open-net pens can harm the environment by allowing fish waste and disease to pollute the ocean.”
- KC's View:
