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During several months French journalists Nicolas Daniel and Louis de Barbeyrac studied the fishing industry from the inside. They set out on a journey from Norway to Vietnam, visited Sweden and Denmark. The result of their investigation was a film that reveals the truth about Norwegian salmon that the “fishing lobby” is trying to hide.
The investigation began on the west of Norway, where there are many fish farms in rural areas that engage in the artificial breeding of salmon. The journalists met with Norwegian activists, environmentalists and the founder of the Norwegian Society for the Protection of Nature, Kurt Oddekalv, who considers the fact hidden beneath the waters of the fjords to be outrageous.
Kurt Oddekalv has long been waging a battle against farms that artificially rear salmon in Norway. He recounted shocking details about their work.
“In Norway the situation with the fish is catastrophic. There are too many fish: on such a small farm they even rear 2 million specimens. The fish are sick, it is now possible to speak of a pandemic: pancreatic necrosis and Infectious Salmon Anemia have already gripped the whole of Norway, but they hide it from the public”.
Activists have been monitoring the large fish farms for the last ten years, keeping them under control and gathering evidence. They have recordings that show how fish farm workers pour a strong pesticide into the water that has neurotoxic effects.
“They themselves must wear masks and protective suits to protect against the chemicals used to treat tanks for parasites. This is not unusual on fish farms. A whole range of chemicals can be found in salmon that also threaten humans. “Kurt says directly: “Norwegian salmon is one of the most poisonous foods in the world”.
The fishing industry in Norway brings in 4 billion dollars a year and is second only to oil. The main problem for Norwegian breeders are the so‑called sea lice, which parasitize the fish’s body and can kill it. Sea lice develop resistance to any chemicals, so breeders constantly use increasingly effective pesticides.
“This negatively affects the fish. Up to 50% of cod on farms are born with mutations, for example they cannot close their mouths. It is a genetic mutation and for it to disappear, eight generations must survive in the sea.
If a person sees such a fish, they do not want to eat it, but if the head is cut off, no one will notice. “
Salmon is also subject to mutations and Kurt showed us how fresh salmon flesh falls apart when being filleted. “This should not be, the flesh should be elastic. As you know, wild salmon has 5 – 7% fat and farmed salmon 15 – 34% fat. All toxins accumulate in the fatty tissue. As a result, this fish becomes one of the most poisonous in the world. “
French toxicologist Jerome Ryuzzen during his research confirmed Kurt Oddekalv’s words: “In fact, the level of contamination of farmed salmon is very high”. It can be up to 5 times more toxic and harmful than any other products. These toxins should be avoided, otherwise we risk our health. “
Salmon and GMOs
Salmon could become the first genetically modified animal to be approved for human consumption. The Food and Drug Administration decided that genetically modified salmon, which grows twice as fast as its unmodified counterpart, is harmless both for consumption and for the environment.
“There is a possibility that this fish will sooner or later get into the oceans,” Discovery News quoted Brian Ellis, a plant biotechnologist from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, as saying. “I think that if we continue in this direction, we should be prepared for as-yet unknown consequences.”
