Cold fusion and ventures In the late 1980s, Russell embraced the idea of near limitless energy from the fusion of atoms after hearing of the Fleischmann–Pons experiment. Shortly after, in 1989, Darcy Russ George and Ronald A. Brightsen founded Clustron Science Corp. in Order to conduct experiments regarding
cold fusion. In 1998, Russ George founded Saturna Technologies and eWorld Travel Corp. an Internet Travel Service Company, which was renamed to GYK Ventures Inc. in 2002, then renamed a second time to Diatom Corp. in 2005. In May 2007, Planktos Corp. announced their plans to dissolve 100 tons of iron over a 10 000 square kilometer area on the high seas near the
Galápagos Islands, In March, the Weatherbird II was sold to an oil exploration interest. A UN moratorium on iron fertilization was passed as a result of the attempted experiment.
Iron dumping According to
Wired, in July 2012, "a renegade American businessman," George, "decided to trigger an algae bloom to absorb some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere—an attempt at geoengineering, a tech-based approach to combating climate change."
Wired called it "the largest known geoengineering experiment at the time." In 2012, the
Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation decided on conducting an 'ocean pasture restoration experiment' by spreading more than 100 tonnes of an iron-rich dirt-like substance over a large area in the Pacific Ocean. Russel George was chosen to act as the lead scientist of this operation. In July 2012, George departed from
Victoria with a crew of 11 on a chartered fishing vessel named the Ocean Pearl, loaded with 100 tons of iron-rich nutrient. The vessel exited the
Strait of Juan de Fuca and headed northwards into the
Gulf of Alaska until they reached the currents known as the
Haida Eddies, approximately 200 miles westward of the coast of
Haida Gwaii. The crew spent the next weeks zigzagging the ship over the ocean while mixing the 4 000 50-lb bags of nutrients with seawater and pumping them overboard using a hose before returning to
Victoria to take 20 more tons of nutrient aboard to repeat the process in August. As of 2022, this remains by far the largest
Iron fertilization operation in history. while others have argued that they were not. Scientists were especially concerned regarding the fact that previous similar experiments, like the
EisenEx experiment conducted in November 2009, had shown that fertilizing the ocean with iron in this manner would especially promote the growth of a
genus of
microalgae known as
Pseudo-nitzschia, which in turn produces large quantities of
domoic acid, a potentially deadly neurotoxin which accumulates through the food chain. and citizens of
Old Masset reported with unease that the island was hit by the strongest
red tides ever seen there. Critics alleged violations of the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the
London Convention on the Dumping of Wastes at Sea which contain
moratoriums on geoengineering experiments. Proponents argued that the experiments were not technically illegal, with Romany M. Webb noting that the CBD's resolution was not legally binding, nor was a then upcoming amendment about OPR to the London Protocol. Edward Parson of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment argued the Haida project did not violate international law, as CBD decisions regarding CBD were purely advisory. John Disney, president of the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation, stated in a press conference on October 19, 2012 that the company had "complied with every necessary aspect of the ocean governance before undertaking the work," and that it did "not consider micronutrient replenishment of a naturally occurring substance to be pollution. We are using this for restoration purposes, to restore the salmon back to their rightful place in the Old Massey economy." He also defended George's role as chief scientist, stating that "we approached him" for the role and that the company trusted his science and intent.
Investigation and lawsuit In March 2013, search warrants were executed by
Environment Canada's enforcement branch to investigate Russ George's office concerning the 2012 iron enrichment test. In May 2013, the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation removed George as a director of the company and ended his employment. Russ George sued the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation, its directors, and several others in 2014. In a counterclaim the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation claimed that Russ George lied about his credentials and academic qualifications, assaulted the project leader, and acted in an "irrational, unprofessional and offensive manner".
Experiment results On July 15, 2014, the oceanographic scientific data gathered during the project was made publicly available under the
ODbL license. The experiment did result in an unusually large
phytoplankton bloom that lasted at least until September 2012, when it became increasingly difficult to detect as the biomass dispersed into the surrounding waters. In the seas of Southeast Alaska, the relevant area of the experiment, the expected catch of
Pink Salmon in 2013 was predicted by salmon experts and managers to be 54 million fish. The catch turned out to be 224 million Pinks, the largest catch in Canadian history.{{cite web ==References==