Latest Virus Discovered in Tofino Fish Farm

[fogged in]

Island salmon farm culling after fish virus confirmed

By Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist May 16, 2012 3:03 AM

A salmon farm north of Tofino is preparing to kill its fish after tests confirmed infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus.

IHN, which presents no risks to humans, is naturally carried by Pacific salmon, trout and herring, which have developed a natural immunity, but can cause high mortality among Atlantic salmon.

"This is the first diagnosis of IHN among farmed Atlantic salmon in B.C. since 2003," said Gary Marty, B.C. Animal Health Centre fish pathologist.

The virus was discovered at Mainstream Canada's Dixon Bay farm during routine fish health tests, says a statement from Mainstream.

"The farm site has been isolated and is currently being prepared for depopulation, if deemed necessary upon completion of the investigation."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is investigating and a Fisheries and Oceans laboratory is conducting further tests.

"We are very concerned about this fish health event and are taking every step to make sure it is contained and any risks minimized," said Fernando Villarroel, managing director of Mainstream Canada.

"This shows our disease monitoring programs work. We were able to quickly detect IHN while in its early stages and react decisively."

Biologist Alexandra Morton, an opponent of open-net pen salmon farms who has done extensive work on salmon viruses, said she is pleased Mainstream is thinking of killing its fish and that the company has announced they detected the virus. However, Morton would like Mainstream to test wild fish in the area.

"When you have 600,000 fish with IHN in one area, it amplifies the disease," she said. "It's like being on a football field with someone with a cold and being with 600,000 people with colds."


Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/I...us+confirmed/6629415/story.html#ixzz1v2ZYGFDW

 

[Little Hawk]

"Watch for these fish at Supermarket near you!"

Yummy!

 

[Charlie415]

Do you think that if the health of salmon had not been in the news recently they would be saying or doing anything?

 

[Aces]

They are regulated by science you guys! Those fish won't be sold either, Terry.

They will end up at West Coast Reduction

 

[Whole in the Water]

They are regulated by science you guys! Those fish won't be sold either, Terry.

They will end up at West Coast Reduction

I am familar with how fish farms reg's are enforced, or not for that matter. They are guided by a smaller amount amout of science and a whole lot more of politics and big business interests.

 

[GLG]

Don't be so sure that these fish won't be sold in a store near you.
http://www.southcoasttoday.ca/content/isa-infected-fish-shelburne-likely-headed-supermarket-shelves

The government is getting tired of bailing out these guys with tax payer money.
They would like the market to absorb the costs.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Don't be so sure that these fish won't be sold in a store near you.
http://www.southcoasttoday.ca/content/isa-infected-fish-shelburne-likely-headed-supermarket-shelves

The government is getting tired of bailing out these guys with tax payer money.
They would like the market to absorb the costs.

So how does this make everyone feel, the govt and the lice farmers say it is OK to eat ISA infected/diseased fish???. Kind of reminds me of when they also said cigarettes and Thalidomide are safe to!

We must demand more accountabiliy from the govt and the big business interests that they consistantly put ahead of the well being of us - "we the people" that they are supposed to represent and serve!!!

So much for the arguement that this is being managed by science and responsible govt. What freakin sad and disgusting joke!!!!

 

[Enniberg]

This is not meant as a statement in defense of fish farms, but if, as stated, this illness is already naturally present in the wild fish we catch, then should we not be banned from eating wild fish also? I just have a hard time seeing that we can demand that farmed fish be healthier than wild fish?

 

[Whole in the Water]

Damn rights we can! If corporations raise them in crowded pens and feed them drugs and pesticides to keep them from dying you better beleive we can demand that they are safe to eat. We have to and must for any man made food products. We created and control the environment they live in - not so much with wild fish. We can't control nature for the most part so we take more chances with wild fish - but most wild fish are not that diseased compared to farmed fish. Most fisherman examine their fish and decide if it is worth eating. The average urban consumer doesn't know that much and just assumes its safe - they trust and expect or demand that the govt ensure that food sold publicaly is safe to eat.

 

[GLG]

When a farmer in the prairies gets hailed out he collects crop insurance for his loss.
If he has no insurance he SOL and the loss is born onto him and his company.

When a fish farmer gets a virus and his crop is destroyed he gets the government to pay for his loss.
He has no insurance because the market deems the risk too high to insure him.
If he had gone to the market to buy insurance the costs would make the venture non-profitable.

Just an example of how the free market rules have been cast aside to support this industry.
GLG

 

[Stoisy]

Unfortunately we need fish farms if we want to have a sport fishery... Not in support of how they are doing it right now, but they are testing new methods using a closed-net pen which are actually showing favourable results and could become the norm in the near future! And as for this virus it really isn't a major concern for the wild salmon as they have "developed a natural immunity" to it. I don't see why we haven't greatly increased our hatchery production on the Fraser and other major systems (i.e. Colombia and Klamuth systems to our south). Create more fish for sporties and, in this regard more importantly, commercial which would reduce the demand for farmed fish!

 

[Rockfish]

Unfortunately we need fish farms if we want to have a sport fishery... Not in support of how they are doing it right now, but they are testing new methods using a closed-net pen which are actually showing favourable results and could become the norm in the near future! ee

I could not disagree more. We do not need fish farms at all. Alaska does not have them and they have a vibrant sport fishery.

Getting them out of open net pens is critical and preferable but even that poses at least a little risk to wild salmon. Some of the viruses they have are hardy and can end up in the ocean when the Atlanitc fish are being processed or washed in the sink being prepared.

 

[Englishman]

Unfortunately we need fish farms if we want to have a sport fishery... Not in support of how they are doing it right now, but they are testing new methods using a closed-net pen which are actually showing favourable results and could become the norm in the near future!

This is a completely unfounded and ludicrous statement.!!

And as for this virus it really isn't a major concern for the wild salmon as they have "developed a natural immunity" to it. I don't see why we haven't greatly increased our hatchery production on the Fraser and other major systems (i.e. Colombia and Klamuth systems to our south). Create more fish for sporties and, in this regard more importantly, commercial which would reduce the demand for farmed fish!

And with this statement methinks Stoisy has totally mixed up fish feed lots (aka fish "farms") and fish hatcheries, hence his weird assertion above!!
If my analysis is correct, then his opinion is totally misinformed and of no value.....

 

[GLG]

Canada and BC would be fine if we got rid of fish farms.
It's not like we need them for food, it's we want them for export.
Got to get our need's and want's in order.
We need a healthy salmon population.
Corporations want a healthy profit.
Pick one as we can't seem to have both.
GLG

 

[Fish-Hunter]

GEEEEEZ,,,, I sure hope that these fish farms aren't having a pandemic here (insert heavy sarcasam), because if they were, then they would likely have to pull all of their fish and exterminate them,,,,, Too Bad (insert more sarcasam). If they had to keep pulling their fish out and exterminate them, then their profits would drop and MAYBEEEEE they would pack it in and go away, now would that be so bad????

This whole system is so Bass Aackwards that the ones making the decisions on preserving and protecting our natural fisheries are completely blinded by $$$ signs and can't (or wont) see the damage they are creating, allowing and condoning, to our natural fisheries. The only reason that they are fish farming here is because no one else will let them set up and do it in their waters, but,,, our politicos do. Total and utter BS borne from a complete lack of accountability and fortitude by some politicians that are only interested in collecting a healthy paycheck and a solid pension at any expense.

FH

 

[Theb55]

Instead of getting rid of wild stock (they say they are the cause of this outbreak but immune) perhaps containment on land is the answer!

 

[greenhornet]

I agree fish farms should be exactly that on a farm landlocked so there is no detriment to the wild salmon,environment and of course the ocean floor nothing lives under these pens for metres either way as the tide washes back and fourth it makes me sick,and I will never have salmon at any restaurant if its farmed !!!!!!!!!

Tight lines
Billydoo

 

[salmonkiller01]

We do not need fish farms, we need hatcheries. With the loss of fish farms the hatchery raised and wild salmon would have a greater chance at survival, as their food resources would be left in the ocean(krill, herring...) Pacific salmon would not be swimming by farms douced with chemicals to reduce sealice, or diseased carry fish. With the removal of sea farms commercially caught fish would have a greater value, pink and chum will be worth more than a few cents a pound.

I am working up in the broughten islands and fly from Campbell River, its disgusting to see how many farms there are all over our coast. No wonder why Alexandra Morton is fighting against fish farms.

As for the government they are giving fish farms more money than they use for enhancement.

 

[GLG]

For years and years the hatchery returns use to be 5% then for some strange reason in the late 1990's the returns dropped to .5%. If we wanted to keep up we would have to build 9 new hatcheries for ever current hatchery that is in place. You can't just expand the output of a hatchery as the water supply and the tank capacity are not there. Sure if you had a large budget you might be able to double the output but there is no way to get a 10 fold increase. Right now with the current budget cut backs all DFO hatchery are going to be cutting back on output. The way I see it we need to look else where for fixing the problems and the first place to start is with these fish feedlots. You can't keep pumping out virus, bacteria and sea-lice and not have an effect on the wild stock.
GLG

 

[Theb55]

Well said. I still think incubator boxes, stream and estuary enhancement, especially on WCVI where fish farms are limited as necessary. All hatcheries have done with Coho by interfering with natural cycles is to reduce size from high teens and low 20s to high single digit to low teens. Roughly half the size. But if we don't get some fish into those rivers soon, they will become extinct. In one disastrous event.