The accidental release of anthrax from a Russian bioweapons facility in 1979, in which 66 of 77 infected persons died, demonstrated the lethal consequences of this agent. However, a large scale biological attack has never been successfully executed. Lack of skilled personnel and sophisticated equipment may be a factor.
Aquaculture is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. agriculture.
Proponents of farming argue that farming takes pressure off over-fished wild stocks and produces large quantities of affordable salmon in a small space. Farming is sustainable, salmon can be harvested year round, and there are no ill effects to the environment when the farms are properly managed. Critics of salmon farming disagree, citing harmful nutrient releases from farms and waste accumulation in the benthic layer below salmon pens. There is concern that antibiotics fed to farm raised fish promote the growth of resistant bacteria which can then infect wild stocks. Additionally, accidental releases of farm salmon can genetically contaminate the dwindling population of wild fish.