---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scariest thing is that nobody seems…"
description: "\"“The scariest thing is that nobody seems to be considering the impact on those wild fish of fish farming on the scale that is now being proposed on the..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/charles-clover-35292_aquaculture_the-scariest-thing-is-that-nobody-seems_2503257.jpg"
---

#  The scariest thing is that nobody seems to be considering…

![“The scariest thing is that nobody seems to be considering the impact on those wild fish of fish farming on the scale that is now being proposed on the coast of Norway or in the open ocean off the United States. Fish farming, even with conventional techniques, changes fish within a few generations…” quote by Charles Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/charles-clover-35292_aquaculture_the-scariest-thing-is-that-nobody-seems_2503257.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/charles-clover-35292_aquaculture_the-scariest-thing-is-that-nobody-seems_2503257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/charles-clover-35292_aquaculture_the-scariest-thing-is-that-nobody-seems_2503257.jpg)

> ““The scariest thing is that nobody seems to be considering the impact on those wild fish of fish farming on the scale that is now being proposed on the coast of Norway or in the open ocean off the United States. Fish farming, even with conventional techniques, changes fish within a few generations from an animal like a wild buffalo or a wildebeest to the equivalent of a domestic cow. Domesticated salmon, after several generations, are fat, listless things that are good at putting on weight, not swimming up fast-moving rivers. When they get into a river and breed with wild fish, they can damage the wild fish's prospects of surviving to reproduce. When domesticated fish breed with wild fish, studies indicate the breeding success initially goes up, then slumps as the genetically different offspring are far less successful at returning to the river. Many of the salmon in Norwegian rivers, which used to have fine runs of unusually large fish, are now of farmed origin. Domesticated salmon are also prone to potentially lethal diseases, such as infectious salmon anemia, which has meant many thousands have had to be quarantined or killed. They are also prone to the parasite Gyrodactylus salaris , which has meant that whole river systems in Norway have had to be poisoned with the insecticide rotenone and restocked.””

[Charles Clover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-clover/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Fish farming can genetically alter salmon, making them less fit and threatening wild populations through disease and hybridization.

**In simple terms:** Farmed salmon harm wild fish and ecosystems.

Key Takeaway

Consider ecological impacts before expanding aquaculture.

Themes

environment conservation genetics economics

Mood

concerned urgent

Type

environmental policy

When to use this quote

- policy making
- environmental assessments
- aquaculture planning
- wildlife management

Key Concepts

aquaculture genetic drift ecosystem health

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance aquaculture growth with wild fish protection?
- What alternatives reduce genetic and disease risks?

A Different Perspective

Farmed salmon may also provide food security and economic benefits.

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## More by Charles Clover

> [“I believe citizens are beginning to realize that their birthright, a healthy ecosystem, has been stolen, and they want it back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-clover/i-believe-citizens-are-beginning-to-realize-that-their-birthright-a/)

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Browse all 7 Aquaculture quotes

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