Discussion: western science
Here is a set of discussion questions on the theme of ‘western science’, inspired by The Last Salmon Run.
You’ll need to spend some time with The Last Salmon Run story to answer these questions.
The questions will direct you to the correct part of the story.
Read chapter two: ‘The Return’. Make a list of pros and cons for building a salmon hatchery in a watershed where salmon numbers are dwindling.
List six reasons Pacific wild salmon populations are in decline.
With the list of six reasons, think of three possible solutions per reason.
Which issue, as Dr. Mordecai describes in chapter three, ‘The hunt for pathogens’, can be “directly controlled by humans”? What does he mean by this and do you agree? Discuss.
How have salmon farms disrupted the life cycle of sea-lice and how has this in turn affected the farms?
In what ways are salmon crucial to the health of an ecosystem?
Why are salmon a great case study for understanding the dynamics of infectious disease?
How has The Last Salmon Run contributed to your understanding of Pacific salmon decline?
