The NET Interview Cycle Helpline

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Perhaps it isn't warm enough and they found a more suitable place to ride the cold wave.

They may be back on the summer, though. 

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Warning: Fish farms consume caught wild fish. 1 ton of farmed fish requires 4-5 tons of wild fish as input.

Swato, could you give some reference to that claim? I know some fresh water fish farms that I would've thought to be more or less self sustaining back home.

[Swatopluk]

Should have said that I mean saltwater fish farms. Most fish bred there are predatory and are indeed fed with wild fish (and not just the offal left from fish factories). Once I get back to work (Thursday probably), I'll look for the link to the presentation given at the UBA (rough German equivalent of the EPA) a few weeks ago on the topic. Can't find it by simply googling and don't have access to the internal pages from home.
It does not mean that fish farming by itself is evil but that the way they are typically run these days makes them not necessarily a better alternative (and should not be the sole base for a good conscience).

[Aggie]

Warning: Fish farms consume caught wild fish. 1 ton of farmed fish requires 4-5 tons of wild fish as input.

Swato, could you give some reference to that claim? I know some fresh water fish farms that I would've thought to be more or less self sustaining back home.

Based on what type of feed?  Trophic levels tend to be around 10% efficient (rough rule of thumb; at 4-5 lbs of wild fish for 1 lb of farmed, the efficiency seems extraordinarily good, but using oily feeder fish such as anchovies it may work out on a caloric basis), so presumably there's a net input somewhere.  I expect for the self-sustaining freshwater farms there is still a source of food (i.e. algae/phytoplankton, detritus carried in by river, etc).  Not being critical, mind, just curious.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I used the term self sustaining incorrectly, the farms I knew used tanks and fish feed (what content of wild fish is on it I don't know; from what I read soy is the main ingredient in the one used with trout  ) apparently some species don't required a high proteic diet or can be fed with shrimp based feed but I have to admit my ignorance on the subject (hence the question to Swato).

[Griffin NoName]

All this is making me nervous. I am sure my feeding efficiency is less than 10% and I am far less useful than a fish farm. 

[Aggie]

I'll bet you crap a lot less than a fish farm, too.  And undoubtedly harbour less parasites. 

Me?  It's a toss-up.
But I feed both on wild fish and soy, although I try to emphasize fish lower down on the food chain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_saury

[Swatopluk]

I can provide the ppt presentation on the problems of fishery as pdf now.
It's (partially) in German and 3MB big though (too big for a post attachment).
It's original web location is probably access restricted, so a link would not help.
If someone wants it mailed, send me a message (with email address, if not visible on the member list page).
Caution: for personal use only.

[Aggie]

OK, this is actually TSBM Helpline, but the rabies bit got me wondering if anyone else here has read Rant (Chuck Palahniuk)?

Pretty good book...  he's been hit and miss lately but I liked that one; it's about a human rabies epidemic with quite a bit of dystopian sci-fi thrown in.