Is the omega protein company overfishing the most important fish in the sea?

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Right, but its a jump from "Atlantic salmon can no longer be fished" to "this is because of ballooning whale populations eating up the ocean's fish"

Whales are probably one factor. It takes a lot of food to support a whale, which will reduce the fish available. There's probably more than one factor causing this. It will probably take action in more than one way to fix this problem.

Salmon (except landlocked) were all but wiped out in Vermont, in the 1800's by damming of rivers. But they were still abundant in Maine for a long time. Even now with considerable effort to let them come to our rivers few are returning here each year. Why? It's still being studied. And with Maine's salmon...there's more at play.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Whales are probably one factor. It takes a lot of food to support a whale, which will reduce the fish available. .

Right but whales co-existed with fish before, so unless there's a decreased predation on whales from sharks or something then its likely that the overall trend of depleted fish stocks where they exist are likely from other factors.
the only places i've seen claiming that whales are a major contributing factor was from whaling nations.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Right but whales co-existed with fish before, so unless there's a decreased predation on whales from sharks or something then its likely that the overall trend of depleted fish stocks where they exist are likely from other factors.
the only places i've seen claiming that whales are a major contributing factor was from whaling nations.

Everything is out of whack now. I don't think it can be said it will be okay. It needs to be studied. I believe some study has shown the whale population to be an important factor.

Whales were always hunted to at least some degree.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Everything is out of whack now. I don't think it can be said it will be okay. It needs to be studied. I believe some study has shown the whale population to be an important factor.

Whales were always hunted to at least some degree.

I didn't say everything will be ok. Everything is out of whack was partially my point. And saying that whales were always hunted has little to do with the industrial processes that result in modern whale populations.
But I would indeed support study of all factors of the problem. Its inherently difficult because implementing, let alone policing conservation efforts across nations and individuals in broad expanses of water is a difficult proposition.