Today is Respect for Fish Day, and a great way you can show your respect for them is by submitting a comment* against the federal government's proposal to allow factory fish farms off of the Gulf of Mexico. COMMENTS ARE DUE TODAY and even just a brief comment will help.

Fish farms subject fishes to unnatural, stressful conditions which make them vulnerable to parasites and diseases which can be transmitted to wild fishes. The facilities discharge concentrated pollutants into the surrounding waters. Fish farms also attract and endanger wildlife, and escaped fishes compete with them for resources.

Already, Ocean Era is seeking a permit to raise tens of thousands of Almaco Jacks off of Sarasota, Fl. It is estimated that 20,000 of these fishes would produce 80,000 pounds of waste, potentially including antibiotics and other chemicals. The Gulf of Mexico continues suffering from devastating red tides, with massive marine animal die-offs, and fish farms are bound to exacerbate them.

Instead of facilitating the cruel exploitation of yet more animals, the government should be promoting healthful, humanely obtained and environmentally sustainable plant-derived foods. Please let the government know you are opposed to allowing fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico.
* Submit your comment by clicking here and then clicking on "Comment" in the blue box.

Thank you for being a friend to fishes!