ARTICLE
EXPLICATION
Written By: Zehra Nasirali
Date: 29 September, 1997
Article #1-
Seaweed seen as Maritime's future
ARTICLE BELOW EXPLICATION
Rockweed: a seaweed that not only is an important nutrient source for many food chains but is also the habitat for many creatures such as snails, periwinkles and over 20 other species of fish. Rockweed does not only have importance for the aquatic life, but it has also been discovered that it has great advantages for the human life as well.
With the decrease in the fishing industry, rockweed can redeem lost job and conserve the capital. Moreover, harvesting rockweed from the Bay of Fundy can output fertilizer and fabric dye. "It is an economic development opportunity, says Gilles Allain.
However, among the pros of rockweed the fact that the cons are yet to be discovered raises uncertainty and hesitancy as written by Erin Dwyer in the subtitle, 'But environmentalists warn enough isn't known about rockweed's role in ecosystem.' On a scale, even though the benefits are weightier that the disadvantages, we still want to take precaution and ensure that the rockweed itself doesn't get destroyed and neither should it harm the crop forbidding it to regenerate. New Brunswick may be anxious about the business rockweed harvest is capable of but we should foresee that it might threaten the occupation of the fishermen, periwinkle and dulse harvesters, because taking over the sea beds are the main reasons in which aqua life lose their habitats^ "We don't want to jeopardize the environmental concerns," says Gilles Allain.
In context with Gilles, should we agree or disagree? Yes, we should definitely agree. We shouldn't be inconsiderable and solely work towards our goals despite the consequences that might affect other ecosystems. It is a very self-centred and self-interested thing for us humans to do. This narrow thought should be broadened and understood that this is where Newton's law of theory comes into place, particularly, "every action results in reaction." From this we should learn that whatever action we take will always result in a reaction UNLESS we are absolutely sure that it has no positive side effects. This particularly applies to this article. However, specifically for the economic development opportunity, the question whether it is the last resort or a desirable luxury, should be posted. A vote for action should be taken and the rest is up to the province
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DATE; Sunday, September 5,1993
SOURCE". "Calgary Herald"
(G.C.I.'s Vertical Files)
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But environmentalists warn
enough isn't known about
rockweed's role in ecosystem
By ERIN DWYER
The Canadian Press, SAINT JOHN, N.B.
With the fishing industry in decline, businesses and provincial officials are looking at the rich beds of slippery seaweed that line the Bay of Fundy as a possible source of cash and jobs.
But environmentalists are calling for a ban on any commercial harvest until more is known about the place of rockweed in the ecosystem.
"Since there is not enough scientific information on rockweed, the impact a commercial harvest will have on the environment is not known," said David Coon, director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
Some Maritime companies want to harvest rockweed from the Bay of Fundy coast to use a dye fixer for fabric, or to produce fertilizer.
But the conservation council - the province's largest environmental group - recently held a public meeting in Dipper Harbour, N.B., to sound the alarm about the possible effects of a commercial harvest of the seaweed.
Environmentalists believe rockweed plays an essential role in the health of the Bay of Fundy. The plant provides an important source of nutrients to the food chain for many creatures, including mussels, clams, lobsters, ducks and shorebirds.
Rockweed also offers a habitat for more than 20 species of fish, as well as snails, periwinkles and other small invertebrates.
For the past two years, environmentalists, fishing organizations, dulse and periwinkle harvesters and some biologists have been calling for an environmental impact assessment of a proposed commercial harvest of rockweed on New Brunswick's
Southwest coast.
In 1991, the provincial Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the federal government agreed to consider a commercial harvest of rockweed.
A federal Fisheries Department group – the Canadian Atlantic Fisheries Scientific Advisory Committee - reviewed scientific information about the role of rockweed and decided New Brunswick could go ahead with a commercial harvest.
A spokesman for the province says further work is being done on the recommendation of the federal committee.
"If we do go ahead with the harvest, we want to ensure that we don't destroy the rockweed itself, destroy the crop so that it can't regenerate," said Gilles Allain.
"We don't want to jeopardize the environmental concerns." However, Allain said, the province is enthusiastic about the potential of a commercial rockweed harvest.
"It is an economic development opportunity," he said. "But we're taking the same precautions we did with the salmon aquaculture." Coon said opening a commercial harvest of rockweed could jeopardize the livelihood of New Brunswick fishermen, periwinkle and dulse harvesters.
"One reason fish stocks decline is because their habitats are destroyed." Coon said.
"Here is a habitat for a number of different species commercially fished in New Brunswick and they're going to open it up for harvesting.
"Until more is known about its role, it shouldn't be commercially harvested. It would be foolhardy to do so."