David Murphy and Marilyn Scanlan
Incredible Plan or Dangerous Science?
In 2008 a giant volcano erupted resulting in water soluble iron being dumped in mass into the North Pacific Ocean, by the wide spread wind drift of the volcanic ash. This "enrichment" caused massive phytoplankton blooms (the essential food chain element) which many scientists believe to be the cause of the giant Fraser Sockeye return in 2010. While other scientist call this simple fiction as they disbelieve the migration route of the juvenile Sockeye in the year of "enrichment" would come anywhere near the plankton rich area. Arguments still prevail today.
The concept of ocean "enrichment" is not new and a controversial for profit business endeavor in the Haida Gwaii has garnered world wide attention to the practice of "Ocean Iron Dumping" that is considered highly illegal. The goal of the Haida Gwaii initiative is to increase local salmon runs by initiating large man made phytoplankton blooms and then supposedly recapture their costs by selling carbon credits for profit.
The man behind the initiative has been hailed many things from an "eco-terrorist to a geo visionary". We watched with keen interest as this all unfolded in the media and there are numerous stories about the event. Even the UN has waded into the controversy. A detailed investigation has been reported by the CBC Fifth Estate.We thought you would find this story of interest.
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