I don't think aquaculture is any different than agriculture, except that agriculture is a mature industry and aquaculture is developing.

Certainly agriculture has been hard on the environment in the past, but people need food and agriculture is the most efficient way to get it. With proper care environmental impacts can be managed.

The same is certainly true of aquaculture. The problem now is that proper care is not being taken. I think some environmental regulation is in order.

As for transgenic salmon, I wouldn't worry too much about them successfully breeding with wild fish. They don't seem to be very fit for survival in the wild, let alone breeding. Besides most of the farmed fish are atlantics which don't seem to compete favorably with pacifics.

The demand for salmon will not go away. If the commercial harvest is relied upon to meet demand, the price of salmon will skyrocket. The commericals will fish harder, the tribes will fish harder and lots of political pressure will erode existing conservative regulations to maximize $$$. You think this can possibly be good for anglers or fish?

I agree that the evirnomental impacts of aquaculture need to be controlled and that not all places are suitable, but I think its the lesser of two evils. Unless you have another way to produce lots of cheap salmon, its the best game in town.