Paris Anglers Again Catch Salmon in Seine

(AP) - About four out of 10 freshwater fish species in North America are in peril, says a major study by US, Canadian, and Mexican scientists. And the number of subspecies of fish populations in trouble has nearly doubled since 1989, the new report says. One biologist called it "silent extinctions" because few notice the dramatic dwindling deep in lakes, rivers, and streams. And while they are unaware, people are the chief cause of the problem by polluting and damming freshwater habitats, experts said. More»

Scientists blame global warming for 'white spot disease'

(NEWSER) - Alaskan king salmon are getting sick, and experts have named a culprit: global warming. Marine ecologists say that a rise in "white spot disease" is tied to a 3-decade trend of higher temperatures in the Yukon River, the Los Angeles Times reports. With cold-temperature barriers melting, parasites and bacteria are moving north—and threatening Alaska's prized salmon stock. More»

Incredibly low stocks prompt action from federal agency

(NEWSER) - A shortage of salmon in the waters along the Pacific coast has driven regulators to consider a ban on salmon-fishing this season, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Pacific Fishery Management Council has never recommended canceling the season before, and about 1,000 commercial fishermen could see their livelihood devastated by a final decision, due in April. More»

Northern Ireland's entire stock destroyed in jellyfish attack

(NEWSER) - An attack of killer jellyfish has wiped out Northern Ireland’s only salmon farm. More than 100,000 fish died in the seven-hour attack, causing estimated losses of $2.1 million, AFP reports. The 35-foot-deep wave of jellyfish covered 10 square miles. The mauve stinger normally prefers warmer Mediterranean waters and has never been seen off British shores in such numbers. More»

Industrial chemicals raise contaminant levels into range unsafe for eating

(NEWSER) - Industrial chemicals contaminate many species of fish that populate the Great Lakes, making them too hazardous for safe human consumption, says a Canadian conservation group. "The lakes continue to be polluted to such an extent that human health is threatened," says a report released yesterday that lists industrial pollutants such as dioxins, PCBs, and methyl mercury among the contaminants. More»