Aquaculture -- the farming of aquatic organisms -- is one
of the most promising but controversial new industries in Canada.
Advocates believe aquaculture has the potential to solve serious
environmental and food supply problems resulting from global
overfishing. Critics argue that industrial-scale aquaculture poses
unacceptable threats to human health, local communities, and the
environment.
The Aquaculture Controversy in Canada is not
about the techniques and methods of aquaculture, but it is an
examination of the controversy itself. Rather than picking sides,
Nathan Young and Ralph Matthews draw on extensive research to determine
why the issue has been the centre of intense debate in Canada. They
argue that the conflict is both unique, reflecting the specific history
of coastal and resource development in Canada, and rooted in major
unresolved questions confronting democratic societies around the world:
the environment, rights, knowledge, development, and governance. The
inability of the industry and its advocates to address the complexities
of the controversy, they argue, has given a powerful advantage to
aquaculture's opponents and fuelled the debate.
Comprehensive and balanced, this book explores the issues at the heart
of the aquaculture controversy -- the relationship between humanity and
the environment, notions of rights and justice, and the rise of intense
local-global interactions and conflicts. It will appeal to anyone
interested in environmental controversies, public policy, natural
resources, or coastal issues.