What could happen if a farmed Atlantic salmon bred with a wild Atlantic salmon?
Little research concerning the genetic interactions between escaped farmed Atlantic salmon and wild Atlantic salmon has been conducted in North America. Research in Europe indicates that escaped farmed Atlantic salmon can affect the genetic make-up of wild Atlantic salmon populations. The degree of the impact depends on the relative number of escapees available to breed with the wild population. We track the number of farmed fish that are found in four rivers of eastern Maine (United States) and the Magaguadavic River, New Brunswick. A recent report indicates that low numbers of farmed salmon have been counted – under 20 in each of the five rivers – in the last three years. Uncharacteristically, however, there was a large escape of farmed salmon reported in 2005, likely a result of sabotage to some net pens. Over three dozen farmed salmon were recaptured in two rivers during the annual Fall survey. DFO has also monitored farm-origin fish in adult salmon returns to the Conne River and L
