This work aims to critically assess the social impact of salmon farming along the western seaboard of Ireland. Disputes over industrial aquaculture are on the rise in western countries and such disputes should be viewed in the context of the debate over global social change. This debate is often assessed in terms of the differences between "industrial" and "post-industrial" forms of social organizations; however, this study seeks to situate that debate within a rural social context. This study approaches the study of Common Property Resource issue by incorporating insights from a number of interdisciplinary research areas including post-industrial issues; assessments of environmental social movements and the role of science; and social science reserarch on law. It is also a case study of salmon farming - an industry which is well on its way to being the dominant form of salmon commercialization on the planet. Finally, by placing the same science conclusions concerning the nature of the implications of aquiculture for conflict resolution in the field of rural development.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Introduction - Ireland's disputed salmon farming industry: the conflict over salmon farming; data and methods; what follows. Part 2 The fishing and aquaculture industries in independent Ireland, 1922 to 1995: the fisheries; fish farming; conclusion. Part 3 Rural social changes and the dynamics of aquatic resource disputes: rural social change in late 20th century Irish capitalism; common pool resources; environmental social movements and the role of science; the disputing process; conclusion. Part 4 A weak regime - the legal and regulatory framework for marine aquaculture: section 54 of the 1980 Fisheries (amendment) Act; environmental impact assessment a conflict with a designation order - the 1988 Smerwick Harbour case; the use of the 1959 act I - the 1992 Ballyvaughan case; the use of the 1959 act II - the 1994 Lough Swilly case; conclusion; Part 5 Salmon cages on the Connemara lakes? - the rod licence dispute, 1987 to 1990: previous attempts to licence "free" brown trout and coarse fisheries; the rod licence dispute; conclusion. Part 6 Disputing salmon farming in coastal Connemara, 1988 to 1992: the environmental impact of salmon farming; the conflict in northern Connemara; the conflict in southern Connemara; alternatives to pesticide treatment - the response of the salmon farming community; conclusion. Part 7 Biological warfare - the impact of the sea trout collapse, 1987 to 1995: the sea trout and angling tourism in the west of Ireland; the sea trout collapse of 1989; a tentative compromise - the 1994 sea trout task force; SOS and the 1993 report of the sea trout working group; the 1994 STWG and ISGA research; the dispute goes to court; conclusion. Part 8 The Irish experience in comparative perspective - salmon farming disputes in Scotland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia: Scotland; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; conclusion. Part 9 Conclusion - fish farming, social science and rural social change: aquaculture and rural social change - conflicts over "productivist" and "post-productivist" strategies; directions for future research; postscript.