Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of Our Favorite Fish

Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of Our Favorite Fish

  • Downloads:7465
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2022-07-08 16:21:37
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Douglas Frantz
  • ISBN:1250800307
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

A Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent and a former private investigator dive deep into the murky waters of the international salmon farming industry, exposing the unappetizing truth about a fish that is not as good for you as you have been told。

A decade ago, farmed Atlantic salmon replaced tuna as the most popular fish on North America’s dinner tables。 We are told salmon is healthy and environmentally friendly。 The reality is disturbingly different。

In Salmon Wars, investigative journalists Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins bring readers to massive ocean feedlots where millions of salmon are crammed into parasite-plagued cages and fed a chemical-laced diet。 The authors reveal the conditions inside hatcheries, where young salmon are treated like garbage, and at the farms that threaten our fragile coasts。 They draw colorful portraits of characters, such as the big salmon farmer who poisoned his own backyard, the fly-fishing activist who risked everything to ban salmon farms in Puget Sound, and the American researcher driven out of Norway for raising the alarm about dangerous contaminants in the fish。 Frantz and Collins document how the industrialization of Atlantic salmon threatens this keystone species, endangers our health and environment, and lines the pockets of our generation's version of Big Tobacco。 And they show how it doesn't need to be this way。

Just as Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation forced a reckoning with the Big Mac, the vivid stories, scientific research, and high-stakes finance at the heart of Salmon Wars will inspire readers to make choices that protect our health and our planet。

Download

Reviews

Rich

Full disclosure I received this book on a goodreads giveaway。 I was intrigued by the source material for this book and I have to admit I was not disappointed。 The authors illustrate how American eating habits led the way for Salmon to replace Tuna as the number one fish consumed across America。 Much in the vein of The Insider, which detailed a whistle blower in the Tobacco industry, the authors reveal the dirty underbelly of the salmon industry。 The authors clearly outline the disturbing amount Full disclosure I received this book on a goodreads giveaway。 I was intrigued by the source material for this book and I have to admit I was not disappointed。 The authors illustrate how American eating habits led the way for Salmon to replace Tuna as the number one fish consumed across America。 Much in the vein of The Insider, which detailed a whistle blower in the Tobacco industry, the authors reveal the dirty underbelly of the salmon industry。 The authors clearly outline the disturbing amount of unhealthy contamination that exists in the industry, and literally inside the fish。 Much like the greed of big tobacco, the reader is taken on a journey that clearly shows this industry needs effective regulation that does not currently exist。 Along the way several colorful characters are revealed。 Some of these characters, like the activist who risked it all to ban hatcheries in Puget Sound are the good guys。 However, most like big tobacco are only in it for profit and could care less about the health of the fish, the species, or the Americans that consume this tasty fish。 If you are looking for a book that exposes the raw greed of the salmon industry then this book is for you。 。。。more

Hope

An eye opening, in depth, and fascinating look at not only salmon farms and the lies that float with them but also the industrialization of food in general。 The effects of these are as wide reaching as they are horrifying。 It brings to light how thoughtlessly we choose our food and the far reaching consequences of easy choices。

Ashley

3。5 stars。 i found this very informative and shocking, but also extremely repetitive。 lots of information is repeated multiple times, which is just annoying to read。 while the expansive focus on many different companies and players in the salmon farming industry provided a broad overview, i think this book could’ve really benefitted from a central “character” to follow。 cooke aquaculture somewhat fits this bill, but i don’t believe they go into enough detail to fulfill that feature。anyways i rea 3。5 stars。 i found this very informative and shocking, but also extremely repetitive。 lots of information is repeated multiple times, which is just annoying to read。 while the expansive focus on many different companies and players in the salmon farming industry provided a broad overview, i think this book could’ve really benefitted from a central “character” to follow。 cooke aquaculture somewhat fits this bill, but i don’t believe they go into enough detail to fulfill that feature。anyways i really do not want to eat salmon now because everything (even the sustainable options highlighted at the end) is a lose-lose situation! it is so hard to eat in the modern world!!! 。。。more

Marcie John

Very thankful to have been provided an ARC through the independent bookstore I work at。 This book was eye opening for me, even as someone relatively aware of what is going on in this industry。 There is so much the public is not aware of and because Salmon Wars covers the open net salmon farming industry from Norway, Scotland and Chile while also focusing on Canada and the USA, there is going to be something for everyone to connect with or learn。I'm very thankful that the book ended on a positive Very thankful to have been provided an ARC through the independent bookstore I work at。 This book was eye opening for me, even as someone relatively aware of what is going on in this industry。 There is so much the public is not aware of and because Salmon Wars covers the open net salmon farming industry from Norway, Scotland and Chile while also focusing on Canada and the USA, there is going to be something for everyone to connect with or learn。I'm very thankful that the book ended on a positive note。 It's not all doom and gloom! There are positive changes happening and the book does a great job highlighting the individuals and companies making those positive steps。 This highly illuminating read is suitable for anyone with an interest in where your fish comes from or is concerned about the marine environment。 And of course, anyone who wants a better picture of the lies, deceit and corruption this industry is wrapped up in, should take the time to read it。 。。。more

Randal White

This was a shocking expose on the business of "farming" salmon。 People may not realize that the majority of the salmon they buy in their favorite supermarket was actually raised in crowded, unsanitary "fish pens", anchored in the ocean。 No room to move, fed with unnatural food, rife with diseases。 Even more dangerous, the fish pens are polluting the traditional native salmon waters, and causing native fish to become diseased and die。 The author points out, "As often happens when humans tinker wi This was a shocking expose on the business of "farming" salmon。 People may not realize that the majority of the salmon they buy in their favorite supermarket was actually raised in crowded, unsanitary "fish pens", anchored in the ocean。 No room to move, fed with unnatural food, rife with diseases。 Even more dangerous, the fish pens are polluting the traditional native salmon waters, and causing native fish to become diseased and die。 The author points out, "As often happens when humans tinker with nature, the law of unintended consequences turned plans for a new industry into a threat to both the environment and to the survival of wild salmon"。 The book is loaded with evidence of the problem。 A few transnational corporations are the controlling factors in the business (Norway)。 Using their considerable weight, they bully and threaten governments into allowing the continuation of the disaster。 Despite overwhelming evidence, the governments are too afraid of losing jobs, or perhaps losing campaign donations, to act。 As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, and a fisherman, this book really struck home with me。 I remember a couple of years ago when one of the fish pens "collapsed" in Puget Sound, releasing thousands and thousands of tainted, sick, and non-native salmon into the water。 It's no wonder we have observed the crashing of native salmon in our area。 Thankfully, the authors offer some hope。 They discuss efforts and programs in the works to stop the fish pens。 We're up against some powerful people, a true David vs。 Goliath battle。 Let's hope lots of people read this book and get involved。 Or, for their own health and well-being, stop buying these fish pen raised salmon。 Fingers crossed! 。。。more