Ronayne, K. and Associated Press (2018). Farmers protest Delta water plan, say protecting salmon hurts agriculture. [online] The Mercury News. Available at: https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/08/20/farmers-protest-delta-water-plan-say-protecting-salmon-hurts-agriculture/ [Accessed 10 Sep. 2018].
In response to a proposed plan to increase flows to a major California river, many Californian farmers rallied at the Capitol. The plan, if enacted, would give support to the migration of the salmon population which has been on the decline for the past few decades. However, the proposal would also limit the amount of water that could be utilized by farmers as well as other necessities. However, the agricultural rallies have been met by some opposition by environmentalists and fishermen who see the necessity in protecting the salmon population.
In this article, it is seen that the issue of an increase of flow to a major river could put the environmentalists against the agricultural industry to debate what should be done. In general, it seems reasonable that the agriculture industry and the environmentalist movement can split apart at times because of the motivation of economic gain through a booming agricultural industry. However, it is surprising that the side in favor of the changes is somewhat a “double edged sword” because the environmentalists hope to preserve salmon in the area as the fisherman want to boost their industry and catch more salmon to sell.
I agree that this seems to be an issue between environmentalists and the fishing industry. Protecting and helping species like Salmon to avoid extirpation is a good goal. Part of the larger problem with agriculture is that current methods are very inefficient, with a very large amount of water needed to produce any food. Agriculture is responsible for 80% of the water use in California. Though I think the need to prevent extirpation is greater than the need of farmers for water.
Thanks for the comment! I totally agree, although farms need water to grow crops, the preservation of a species should have priority over it. However, I’m concerned about the future of agriculture in california and what it’s possible failure could mean in the future if they cannot find a solution for their water problems.
There is often a debate over whether or not the health of the environment takes priority over the financial prosperity of a business. While agriculture is essential to our society, the health of our ecosystems and the survival of the planets ecosystems have taken a back seat for far too long. If a middle ground cannot be found, the plan to protect the salmon should take priority over agricultural success.
Thanks for the comment! I agree with your conclusion and also share the interest/fear for the future of agriculture in California. I find it particularly scary how the necessities of farming can hurt many things surrounding it.