N.S. fish farm rejected: risk to wild salmon.

[Charlie]

Environmentally Sustainable Salmon Dinner a Success
The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) hosted a dinner event in support of its environmentally-sustainable salmon aquaculture programme on Wednesday, 15 May at the Yale Club, New York, NY.

Sixty guests had the opportunity to sample land-based, closed containment salmon, which was prepared by renowned chef and culinary consultant Tom Valenti.

The salmon was grown in a land-based closed containment aquaculture facility in West Virginia, using cutting edge technology. The advantage, says Bill Taylor, President of ASF, is that closed containment aquaculture eliminates the interaction of farmed salmon and the environment.

“With the added sustainability factors for land-based operations, including virtually 100 per cent water recycling, no dumping of waste on the ocean floor, no escapes to interact with wild populations in our rivers, reduced pesticide and antibiotic use, and no interaction of these chemicals with wild fish or the marine environment, the market appeal for closed containment salmon is significant.”

While the environmental advantages of land-based aquaculture are indisputable, critics have argued that closed containment salmon will be less palatable to consumers, compared to sea-farmed salmon. Having now prepared and served closed containment salmon at the Yale Club, Chef Tom Valenti says otherwise.

“People are largely accustomed to eating farmed raised Atlantic salmon, and the nature of it has become a very consistent product. Does that product have spectacular flavor? In my experience, no, but we’re all used to that product. The closed containment salmon that I worked with reminded me more of wild fish, in that its flesh was slightly firmer and slightly leaner. Being raised on land took nothing way from the flavor or texture,” says Mr Valenti.
Having passed the discriminating taste test of Chef Valenti and an elite guest list, which included renowned authors Monte Burke and Hoagy Carmichael, former Chairman of ASF’s Board of Directors and Bangor Daily News publisher, Richard Warren, and ASF Board Member Austin Buck, there is a growing consensus that closed containment aquaculture is the future of salmon farming.

Bill Taylor and ASF are convinced: “The environmental costs of raising salmon in open net pens are becoming too great for consumers to ignore. Moving salmon production out of our coastal marine waters and into land-based facilities makes sense. It’s the best way to guarantee consumers and local economies a sustainable product, well into the future.”

Though ASF’s closed containment facility is in the developmental phase, closed containment salmon farms are popping up in North America and abroad. In Denmark, Canada, and the UK, commercial production has already begun at a handful of closed containment facilities, and experimental commercial production of Atlantic salmon is now being undertaken as far afield as China and France, with more planned in Chile, and western North America.

TheFishSite News Desk 5th June 2013
http://www.nosalmonfarmsatsea.com/archives/641

 

[rockdog]

That's a good article, and good news, thanks.

 

[GLG]

So what is the future of this industry? I you would like a peek what this industry wants, watch this.
Skip all the way to 5:40 in the video as the first part is just music...

http://hocca.wmod.llnwd.net/a4502/e2/20130604170000_8935_990.wmv

 

[Cuba Libre]

At least Senator Larry Campbell had the balls to speak . The rest of them need to be yanked off the public tit. Imagine-- make the fish farms like cruise ships and everything will be fine!

Thanks for posting that Gil.....time to get rid of the fish farms AND the Senate

 

[agentaqua]

http://oppdrett.wordpress.com/2013/...closed-aquaculture-technology-is-functioning/

Closed aquaculture technology is functioning

Salmon fishing with a rod was previously reserved for the upper class. Now close to 80 000 people in Norway fish for salmon every summer. The past 25 years I have observed that greed cultures destruction have turned arrows pointing down for wild salmon, sea trout and remaining biodiversity – but there are bright spots.

The salmon farming industry has had tremendous growth since the early 70s. In 2012 it produced 1,183,000 tons of farmed salmon to an export value of 29.6 billion. In ten years, consumption of salmon in Norway has increased by nearly 90 percent. Last year, consumption of salmon in Norway increased by 23 percent. This contributes to create jobs while other sectors is suppressed. There is no doubt that aquaculture is important for business, but I am in fundamental disagreement with the mayors Helge Njåstad (FRP) in Vats and Hans Stølan (Ap) of Frøya, who has previously stated that we can sacrifice wild salmon if necessary to produce farmed salmon.

Environmental impact

Diseases in aquaculture include diseases furunculosis, PD (pancreas disease), ISA (Infectious Salmon Anemia) and a huge increase in the number of sea lice. In an attempt to take control of these adverse side effects enormous amounts of delousing agents (3 tonnes a year) are being used. Surveys done by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research shows that the drugs could endanger shellfish and crabs. Norwegian Fishermen’s Association fears for their members livelihood and therefore they call out for shutdown of use of delousing agents in aquaculture industry.

In February 2011, 175 000 farmed salmon escaped from SalMar at Hitra in Sør-Trøndelag. This escape is equivalent to the total annual appearance of wild salmon in Trondheim Fjord, which is one of the greatest wild salmon areas in the world. Once over 12,000 salmon escaped from a fish farm at Osholmen Hitra a conequenc of a net that was not properly mounted, prosecutor Nils Kristian Grønvik in Sør-Trøndelag Police said to Dagens Næringsliv: “If this is not a crime, there is not much that is criminal offense “.

Escapings of farmed salmon has been and is a major problem

In 2010, 70 000 PD-infected salmon escaped fromSjøtroll facilities in Sveio. There has also been detected PD in a fish farm belonging to Marine Harvest in Nærøy Nord-Trøndelag. They had to slaughter 700 000 salmon. The salmon disease PD is spreading further and further north, there are now 138 plants that are “carriers” of the virus infection. Recently emergency slaughter of 69,000 salmon was carried out, at the fish farm in Mortsund in Lofoten after the detection of infectious salmon anemia (ISA).

Earlier research has shown that up to 70% of the salmon taken in Fiskumfoss in Namsen is farmed. Some of these fish carry lice and are infected with deadly diseases that can infect wild salmon. Escaped farmed salmon threaten the unique local salmon populations by genetic pollution, and the spread of lice and diseases.

According to the Directorate of Fisheries own figures, there has been a vast improvement from 2006, when 921,000 farmed salmon escaped. 2012 reports are counting 38,000 escaped salmon. It is also worth mentioning that in 2012 133,000 rainbow trout and 55,000 cod escaped. The figures are based on breeders’ own reports. Regardless 38,000 escaped farmed salmon, 38 000 too many.

Public Health

Researchers believe that farmed salmon is becoming a swimming vegetable full of bad fats and harmful toxins. U.S. researchers published a study in the prestigious journal Science in 2004 in which they discourage people from eating farmed salmon more than once a month and referred to the high levels of PCBs, dioxins and other toxic substances. A recent study by the University of Bergen has shown that mice developed type 2 diabetes and obesity when they were fed farmed salmon. The researchers also suggested that frequent consumption of farmed salmon would increase the risk of developing cancer.

Technology

I mean, despite the above, that aquaculture industry is important for the business community in Norway – but it must be legitimate to require that commercial activities are conducted in a more sustainable manner. If no are stricter standards will be the industry’s own path. There are many who have criticized and demanded land-based aquaculture or closed containments. Ratings based on figures from 2010 estimate that Norwegian salmon farming has the potential for savings, with closed aquaculture technology, in size 7 billion per year. In addition, the savings with respect to the major environmental costs imposed on society, as pointed out by the Auditor General’s report from 2012.

Akvadesign in Brønnøysund has succeeded in large-scale farming of salmon in enclosed sea sites. According to the National Veterinary Institute there was not found a single lice on the 80,000 salmon that were in the closed plant from May to October.
The aquaculture industry’s zoning corresponds to the size of the runways at Gardermoen Airport. All indications are that the extent will continue to escalate so closed containments is very likely the best solution – even through an economic perspective. I hope the rest of the industry choose to be part of this technological development.

Closed systems alone will not be able to turne farmed salmon into lucrative food, but it’s a good start. An initiative that is not only environmentally friendly, but also profitable for the industry. SV’s fight to get farming industry into closed systems is therefore not a threat to the industry, but is one of many necessary measures to make fish farming sustainable.

Skrevet av/Written by Ola Kristian Johansen, nestleder og andrekandidat på stortingslista for Nord-Trøndelag SV

 

[Dave]

Here is some more good news re ISA in wild BC salmon. Who knew?

Canadian Food Inspection Agency




June 11, 2013 12:00 ET
Surveillance Samples of Wild Salmon in British Columbia Test Negative
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 11, 2013) - All samples collected and tested as part of the 2012 wild salmon disease surveillance initiative in B.C. have tested negative for infectious salmon anaemia (ISA). The samples were also tested for either infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) or infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and these tests were also negative.
IHN, IPN and ISA are reportable diseases in Canada. These diseases are contagious and can cause disease and mortality in salmon. IHN is known to exist in certain species and populations of wild finfish in B.C. IPN and ISA have not been confirmed in the province.
In 2012, 4175 wild salmon samples were collected directly from B.C. waters, processing plants and enhancement hatcheries as part of a surveillance initiative in B.C. All of these samples were tested for the ISA virus. The samples were also tested for either IHN or IPN depending on the age of the fish. A variety of salmon species were tested, including those that could carry infection without showing signs of disease. In 2013, this surveillance program is expected to test approximately 5,000 samples.
This surveillance initiative is led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in partnership with many organizations, including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Province of British Columbia, First Nations groups, the aquaculture industry and the fishing and processing industry.
All sampling, testing and response activities associated with this surveillance initiative are based on internationally recognized science. They are also consistent with international guidelines and national aquatic animal health requirements.
The CFIA is also finalizing an evaluation of on-going farmed salmon testing activities in B.C. Next steps for on-farm surveillance will be communicated in the fall of 2013.
For more information on this surveillance initiative and the CFIA National Aquatic Animal Health Program, visit www.inspection.gc.ca/aquatic, or sign up for the aquatic and terrestrial monthly reportable disease reports.
Contact Information
• CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600

 

[agentaqua]

Interesting news release.

No info on what RNA primers they used, or what fish they tested and from where.

No info on whether they consider live culture as the fait accompli on confirmation (which I suspect is the case) verses finding ISA sequences using the PCR method.

In short - too little information to assess what this means - but that is prob how they want it - a flashy news release to appease the nervous voters...

How's that go again...loh ya - "people only read the headlines"...

 

[Dave]

So ask them.

 

[agentaqua]

So ask them.

Yes, they have to culture the virus to "confirm" the presence of ISA.

yes they use PCR and would be unable to detect new strains of ISA.

Yes, they got their samples from hatcheries and DF(O's offshore trawl program - which means they miss ~2 months of marine nearshore residence and mortality.

They got ~500 adult samples BC-wie verses the 1750 target.

NO - they do not test resident salmonids.

 

[Andrew P]

Here is some more good news re ISA in wild BC salmon. Who knew?

Canadian Food Inspection Agency




June 11, 2013 12:00 ET
Surveillance Samples of Wild Salmon in British Columbia Test Negative
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 11, 2013) - All samples collected and tested as part of the 2012 wild salmon disease surveillance initiative in B.C. have tested negative for infectious salmon anaemia (ISA). The samples were also tested for either infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) or infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and these tests were also negative.

Should that "or" not read "and"? Why wouldn't they test all for all three?

 

[GLG]

For you biology majors out there
http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/aahm/2010/2.3.05_ISA_2009 .pdf

Sure would like to see the raw data as I'm not convinced that CFIA can be trusted anymore.
Too many examples in the meat scandals in the last 2 years.
They seem to be focused on the keeping the export market open and not on whats good for Canada.
Unless, that is, your a exporter and you have money to lose if you were shut down.

 

[agentaqua]

Questions raised over Slice residue

Created on Thursday, 13 June 2013 10:30 | Print | Email


INFORMATION obtained from SEPA by the Salmon & Trout Association Scotland (S&TAS) shows that nearly one in five fish farms using Slice as a sea lice treatment show chemical residues in excess of Environmental Quality Standards.

Data from 146 farms which used Slice (emamectin benzoate) between January 2011 and September 2012 were obtained by the S&TAS.

At 28 of those farms (19.1%), Environmental Quality Standards were breached . The results are broadly in line with an earlier study by the S&TAS, which was based on data obtained under freedom of information data covering 2005-2010.

At the time, the Minister responsible, Stewart Stevenson MSP, stated that "should an EQS for sea louse chemicals be breached following the use and discharge of the substances to treat sea lice at fish farms, SEPA would take various steps to rectify the situation - for example, through a variation of licence conditions limiting the further release of these substances until residue levels reduced to below those identified safe levels."

Matters do not, however, appear to be improving and, to date, the S&TAS is unaware of SEPA varying the conditions of any fish farm licence to reduce chemical residues in line with Stevenson's assurance.

Fifteen of the 28 fish farms with samples in breach of Environmental Quality Standards for Slice are operated by Marine Harvest (Scotland) Limited.

Although Marine Harvest is the biggest operator in Scotland of salmon farms and is shortlisted for the Stewardship Award at tonight's Crown Estate-sponsored "Marine Aquaculture Awards 2013", this is a higher than expected number of breaches from their farms. The S&TAS queried this with SEPA who replied that "the results are unlikely to be impacted by an artefact of the reporting or recording process".

The reasons for the apparent problem associated with Marine Harvest fish farms is not known but one possibility, according to S&TAS, might be that efforts being made by Marine Harvest to reduce on-farm lice numbers are having the unwelcome consequence of increasing the chemical residue in sea lochs.

This would be a problem for wild crustaceans, which are particularly susceptible to Slice, and therefore also to lobster, crab and creel fishermen operating in the loch systems where salmon farms are using emamectin benzoate.

Hughie Campbell-Adamson, Chairman of the S&TAS, said: "What this shows is that not only is SEPA yet to get control of the chemical residue issue, but the apparent issue at Marine Harvest farms, which of course is yet to be bottomed out, could be due to efforts being made to control sea lice on the farmed fish.

"If it does turn out to be the case that efforts to control sea lice are having a negative effect elsewhere, it may be impossible in practice to adequately control sea lice on very high tonnage fish farms, down to a level which does not cause an unacceptable parasitic load on wild fish, while at the same time avoiding a threat to wild crustaceans, such as lobster, prawn and crab, upon which many inshore fishermen rely for their livelihoods.

"The answer is clear. Again, the S&TAS would urge both Marine Harvest and the Scottish Government to start the move towards closed containment of all salmon farming."

 

[agentaqua]

http://0101.nccdn.net/1_5/34d/008/033/aquacult-reg-ns-ecelaw.pdf

Executive Summary
Aquaculture has a long history in Nova Scotia, but its evolution to commercial aquaculture has been fairly rapid over the past three decades. Finfish (primarily Atlantic salmon) is the highest revenue generating form of aquaculture in the province and the open-net style of production it relies upon raises the greatest environmental concerns. Chemicals, fish feed and fish waste that accumulate in the aquaculture environment tend to degrade and pollute the surrounding aquatic environment. The escape of farmed fish and the potential for disease and interbreeding with wild fish is also a concern.
The public perception of aquaculture in the province is mixed. A report undertaken on behalf of the provincial government indicated that the average citizen is comfortable with aquaculture and has little concern over potential negative impacts. At the same time, there is strong opposition by local community members where open-net finfish operations exist or are proposed and some are calling for a moratorium on the industry. There have been ongoing concerns raised by environmental and conservation organizations over certain industry practices for many years.
The role of the federal government in the regulation of aquaculture is unsettled. Several federal laws apply to aquaculture related activities, including the Fisheries Act, the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. However, all of these statutes have been or are being amended by the current federal government. The application of the laws is being narrowed, the result being no application to aquaculture in some cases. There is also an ongoing debate over whether the provinces have any constitutional authority to regulate aquaculture. In the province of British Columbia, the debate has resulted in a decision by the British Columbia Supreme Court that aquaculture is outside the authority of the provincial government and related laws in the province have been struck down.
Despite this debate, the role of the provincial government in the regulation of aquaculture in Nova Scotia is still intact under the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act (FCRA), but regulatory reform is underway. The FCRA prohibits unlicensed aquaculture operations but the Minister has broad discretion in determining what operations receive a license. This discretion has been submitted to two legal challenges, both of which found in favour of the discretion. Much of this Report is focused on highlighting some of the key concerns with the current regulatory framework for aquaculture, including conflicting mandates, broad discretion, lack of public engagement and limited assessment of environmental impacts.
There is a desire by federal and provincial governments to facilitate the growth of the aquaculture industry. These goals are evident in the federal government’s National Aquaculture Strategic Action Plan Initiative (2010) and the provincial government’s
4
Aquaculture Strategy (2012). However, there are also environmental concerns regarding current and future aquaculture development. For example, the Cohen Report released in 2011 considered the decline of wild Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River and noted that there is a likelihood that diseases and pathogens from salmon farms may harm wild salmon. Commissioner Cohen concluded that too little research on these effects has been done and many knowledge gaps exist. In Atlantic Canada, Cooke Aquaculture has been charged under the Fisheries Act with release of a deleterious substance in the form of a cypermethrin-based pesticide into the waters of New Brunswick. It is alleged that the prohibited pesticide was used to control sea lice in a salmon farm operation and its use resulted in the death of a significant number of lobster in the area.
Aquaculture, like so many industrial activities, has the potential to engender substantive economic growth while at the same time inflicting significant environmental harm. Therefore, there is a strong need for appropriate regulation of the industry to ensure that it operates sustainably, especially where the government supports industry growth. This Report provides an outline of the industry in Nova Scotia and an overview of the current federal and provincial regulatory framework. The Report identifies seven specific areas of consideration in the context of strengthening provincial regulation to make the industry more environmentally sustainable. This Report does not provide an in-depth analysis of aquaculture regulation in Nova Scotia; rather it provides an overview to serve as a foundation for that analysis, discussion and future regulatory reform.

 

[agentaqua]

http://cwf-fcf.org/en/discover-wild...f-with-aquaculture.html#.UcDbvaZ4sIU.facebook
Our Beef With Aquaculture

Story
.Home > English > Discover Wildlife > All Resources > Online Articles > Funding Stories > Our Beef With Aquaculture June 7, 2013
By Dr. Sean Brillant




Aquaculture has been active in Canada since the 1980s. There are now several species of fish and shellfish currently being raised for consumption across Canada, but Atlantic salmon is by far the largest produced and the greatest value. The vast majority of these salmon are raised in the ocean waters of British Columbia (where it is not a native species), New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

Atlantic salmon are held and grown in cages that float in the ocean (essentially they’re open-pens). These are usually located in areas where they are protected from storms but have good water flow. As a result they are often placed in sheltered bays or near the mouths of rivers.

In Poor Health

As with large-scale farming practices of any animal, salmon aquaculture (often called finfish aquaculture) requires maintaining animals in large densities, providing them with food, and treating them with pharmaceuticals to maintain their health under these unnatural conditions. Unlike land-based farming practices however, diseases, parasites, and food and pharmaceutical waste from finfish aquaculture operations freely flow from the open-pens into the surrounding marine environment.

The various effects of aquaculture on the environment are a large concern, particularly the potential negative effects on nearby populations of wild salmon. Many populations of Atlantic salmon in NB and NS and several Pacific salmon species are at risk of extinction according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), so the risks from open-pen salmon aquaculture are especially important.

Cracking the Books Open

To ensure we are evaluating aquaculture with substantiated knowledge, CWF did a detailed examination of the scientific literature on the environmental effects of salmon aquaculture. Some studies showed no significant environmental effect, while other did. The logical conclusion is that we can reject the assumption that open-pen finfish aquaculture has no effect on the environment; clearly, it does under some (even well-managed) conditions and in some locations. If this is incorrect, then at best, we have failed to show adequately that finfish aquaculture does not harm wild salmon populations. But, at worst, aquaculture may be destroying our wild salmon populations without our knowledge.

In this state of ignorance, it is safe to conclude that we are not acting precautious by allowing this industry to develop and to expand.

Ending the Trend

Thus, recognizing the economic benefits of finfish aquaculture, the Canadian Wildlife Federation and its Board of Directors, wants to end to open-pen finfish aquaculture on both coasts of Canada in the next 10 years and, in the meantime, a moratorium on new finfish aquaculture operations. This position is in alignment with the conclusions of many other agencies concerned with the state of wildlife in Canada including Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Royal Society of Canada, and the federally appointed Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River (i.e. the Cohen Commission).

 

[agentaqua]

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3616

Scientists Find Clues in Cases of Fish Virus Found in Coastal Washington Steelhead
Released: 6/13/2013 12:00:00 PM

Contact Information:
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
Office of Communications and Publishing
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr, MS 119
Reston, VA 20192 Rachel Breyta 1-click interview
Phone: 206-948-2250

James Winton 1-click interview
Phone: 206-526-6587


SEATTLE — The spread of a highly virulent fish virus in four separate coastal Washington watersheds from 2007-2011 has been described in a new research paper by the U.S. Geological Survey. The most probable source of the virus was identified as steelhead trout originating from the Columbia River Basin.

The research, conducted with state, federal, tribal, and University of Washington partners, used genetic testing of the virus to characterize the emergence of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus, better known as IHNV, in coastal Washington steelhead trout between 2007-2011. During that time, new steelhead-specific strains of the virus spread to seven different salmonid culture facilities in four different coastal watersheds, and caused significant mortality in juvenile steelhead trout, seriously impacting conservation programs.

In this work scientists identified the strain types for over 200 coastal virus samples and compared them with IHNV types detected previously throughout the Pacific Northwest. This revealed that there were at least two separate introductions of the steelhead-specific virus into coastal fish populations and that the most probable source of these introductions was the Columbia River Basin. These new data will help resource managers in efforts to prevent further spread of IHNV, and potentially other important fish pathogens, throughout the Pacific Northwest.

"Knowing how to detect this virus and how it moves between costal populations is extremely important in designing and implementing preventative measures to protect steelhead populations" said Ray Brunson, recently retired fish health specialist from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who oversaw his agency's role from 2007-2011.

Questions remain about how the virus reached coastal fish and why the virus has not been detected in coastal watersheds since late 2011. "This work shows that transmission of IHNV cannot be wholly understood from monitoring individual rivers, so studies such as this one that look at how the virus moves throughout the interconnected Pacific Northwest are essential to support fish health programs." said Rachel Breyta, lead author from the University of Washington, working at the USGS’ Western Fisheries Research Center.

The new research will appear in an upcoming volume of the journal 'Diseases of Aquatic Organisms'. Additional information on IHNV genetic typing at the Western Fisheries Research Center is available online.

"Emergence of MD type Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus in Washington Coastal Steelhead Trout" published in the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, was co-authored by scientists from the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center, in collaboration with the University of Washington, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

[tincan]

Thanks for the posts Agent. Some good reading there.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I was just about say the same thing, AGENTAQUA thanks for sharing some very good reading here on farmed fish.

 

[tincan]

http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1140e/i1140e01.pdf

SUMMARY
With around three quarters of the world’s capture fisheries fully or overexploited,
aquaculture is seen as the main source for future growth of fish production. Given this
finite state of affairs, this paper examines the role of “feed” fisheries in fish and animal
farming and considers whether the direct human consumption of these resources might be
preferable on environmental, food security and livelihood grounds. This synthesis draws
on four regional analyses and a number of country case studies.

Not sure if this 62-page paper has been posted here yet but if you have some time to kill have a look see.

 

[agentaqua]

Lewis Hinks, ASF's Director of Programs for Nova Scotia, is interviewed by Dave Doggett of Maritime Outdoorsman.In plain language, Lewis Hinks describes the problems for Nova Scotia and wild Atlantic salmon to be found in open net pen aquaculture.Click on Interview below to listen, or go to Maritime Outdoorsman site at:http://www.maritimeoutdoorsman.com/009 - See more at: http://www.asf.ca/lewis-hinks-of-asf-on-aquaculture.html#sthash.FVcxR86J.dpuf

 

[agentaqua]

ISA Lab Stripped of Credentials

The Globe and Mail

Lab that found virus in B.C. salmon stripped of credentials after audit

ANDREA WOO VANCOUVER — Published Wednesday, Jul. 03 2013, 9:29 PM EDT

A lab that revealed the first evidence of an infectious virus in British Columbia salmon has been stripped of its international credentials.The lab, run by Fred Kibenge of the Atlantic Veterinary College – University of Prince Edward Island, was one of a handful certified by the World Organization for Animal Health for its expertise in detecting the infectious salmon anemia virus.

Dr. Kibenge has said federal government officials attacked the credibility of his lab since he reported two positive tests for the ISA virus in salmon samples from the west coast – a finding that could lead to export restrictions on B.C. salmon, crippling the fish farm industry.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which has insisted there is no evidence of the virus in B.C., ordered an audit of the lab in November, 2011, which found “potential for cross-contamination.” It recommended the OIE order an independent audit, which found the lab “fell well short of acceptable quality standards” and recommended suspension of its reference laboratory status.The OIE world delegates did so on June 13.

Dr. Kibenge, who in 2011 had told of his findings before the Cohen Commission, a federal inquiry into the decline of sockeye salmon in B.C., was not available for comment on Wednesday. However, he told The Globe and Mail in November, 2012, he believed the CFIA pushed for the audits because his findings were inconvenient.“What they are doing here is essentially punishing me for having testified at the Cohen Commission and trying to suppress the findings … ,” he said. “It’s an attack on my credibility.”

No one from neither the CFIA nor OIE responded to interview requests on Wednesday. However, an unofficial spokesperson for the CFIA said the credentials were removed as a result of the OIE’s independent audit.Alexandra Morton, a biologist and critic of salmon farming, said the announcement has not shaken her confidence in Dr. Kibenge’s work, which is “in close match” with that of several other labs. Meanwhile, the CFIA said preliminary positive results could not be replicated in its own tests, meaning the presence of the virus could not be confirmed.

Researchers have found segments of viral RNA – comparable to partial fingerprints – matching a Norwegian strain of ISA, Ms. Morton said.“Canada says you have to find the entire virus before you can confirm it is ISA,” Ms. Morton said. “You cannot take a sequence of a virus and put it in a gene bank and get a match without it being ISA. No one knows how that could possibly happen unless you are dealing with ISA virus.“I would like to see [the CFIA’s] results. I would like to see what tests they did. I would really have to see it to believe it at this point.”She said she has “no doubt whatsoever” the move is an effort to undermine Dr. Kibenge’s work.

Simon Fraser University researcher Rick Routledge sent the samples of sockeye salmon to Dr. Kibenge in October, 2011, as part of research into why so many salmon were dying on B.C.’s central coast. Dr. Kibenge got two positive tests for the ISA virus out of 48 samples.The virus, which is not a human health concern, is not lethal to Pacific salmon. But wild fish can host it, and transmit it to farmed Atlantic salmon, which it kills. There are also concerns the virus could mutate in its wild hosts, and suspicions it may be linked to the mysterious deaths of millions of wild salmon in B.C. rivers in recent years.

Dr. Kibenge’s lab in 2007 confirmed the first occurrence of ISA in farmed Atlantic salmon in Chile, where the virus triggered a disease outbreak that killed millions of salmon and cost Chile’s salmon farming industry an estimated $2-billion.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...d-of-credentials-after-audit/article12977743/ - See more at: http://www.asf.ca/isa-lab-stripped-of-credentials.html#sthash.0TdXvjy1.dpuf