Is fish farming causing algal blooms and shellfish poisoning?
Links are often suggested between the presence of fish farms, the occurrence of algal blooms and subsequent potential for shellfish poisoning. There is no scientific evidence that the nitrogen introduced to the aquatic environment by salmon farms is the cause of these blooms. Algal blooms are natural phenomena, which have been linked to rising sea temperatures. Shellfish poisoning is caused by toxins that are generated during the algal bloom and then accumulate in bivalve shellfish such as scallops as they filter the water.
