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[Hiker]

I have copied this article from BBC news web site. If you want to have a look at their web site itself follow the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4391711.stm

Farm sea lice plague wild salmon
The spread of parasitic sea lice from salmon farms to wild salmon is a far
bigger problem than had previously been imagined, a new study claims.
Researchers looking at a salmon farm in Canada found that infection levels
in wild juvenile salmon near the farm were 73 times higher than normal.

Sea lice are crustacean parasites that can also affect fish. Both wild and
farmed salmon are at risk.

Details appear in the science journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.


Our research shows that the impact of a single farm is far-reaching
Marty Krkosek, University of Alberta

During the course of their research, the scientists studied 5,500 young wild
pink and chum salmon over 60km (37 miles) of their migration route in
British Columbia, Canada.
The researchers were able to isolate the effect of a single farm on
infection levels in a wild population because the facility was anchored in a
long, thin fjord and the wild fish had no choice but to pass by the farm on
their seaward migration.

The University of Alberta team sampled fish every 1-4km along the route,
documenting the effect on the salmon as they moved towards the farm.

Zone of infection

Juvenile salmon carried almost no sea lice prior to the farm but became
heavily infected as they approached it.

"Our research shows that the impact of a single farm is far-reaching," said
lead author Marty Krkosek.

"Sea lice production from the farm we studied was four orders of magnitude -
30,000 times - higher than natural. These lice then spread out around the
farm.


"Infection of wild juvenile salmon was 73 times higher than ambient levels
near the farm and exceeded ambient levels for 30km of the wild migration
route."
Sea lice can lower the fitness of salmon - and in some cases be lethal - as
they create open lesions on the surface of the fish that compromises its
ability to maintain its salt-water balance.

When infection rates are high enough, the parasites feed on the fish at
rates greater than the fish can feed itself, literally eating the fish
alive. Young salmon are much more vulnerable due to their small size.

Andrew Dobson, an animal epidemiologist from Princeton University, US, said
researchers were reporting similar effects in Scotland, Norway and Ireland.

"Sea lice are the kiss of death for salmon - these are fish that are already
declining in the wild in Britain. This is not helping at all is it?" said
Mike Donaghy, freshwater policy officer for WWF Scotland.

He added that in Scotland, fish farms were often located close to the
entrances to salmon rivers, exacerbating the problem.

The farmed salmon industry in Scotland alone is worth 500m ($940m) per
year.

Brian Simpson, chief executive of Scottish Quality Salmon in Perth,
commented: "The real issue is how we control sea lice - this is an area
where the farmers and the wild fish interests come together. Both sectors
want no sea lice."

Mr Simpson said that salmon farmers on the west coast of Scotland were
working together successfully with other interest groups on voluntary "area
management agreements" to monitor sea lice and minimise the risk of
infection for both farmed salmon and wild fish.

Mr Donaghy agreed that area management agreements had shown that sea lice
infestations could be slashed in salmon farms, reducing the numbers
available to infect wild populations.

"The industry has ways of dealing with this. We want to encourage them to do
it more - taking a scientific approach - and think more about where they
locate these particular fish farms," he explained.

Previous studies on the transfer of sea lice to wild salmon from farms have
been dismissed by some in the industry. But experts say the precision of the
data sampling and mathematical modelling in the latest study mean it will be
hard to ignore.

Some Scottish salmon farmers argue that the decline in wild salmon and sea
trout along Scotland's coastline began long before the advent of farming.

[Spudcote]

Funny you should post that, I'm in the process of tryign to write and article for a "student newspaper" (there's a section for local issues, etc). And only this evening I was flicking through the TV channels and saw somethign on the discovery channel (Daily Planet, I think) about the industry.

So far, I've done my best to look at both sides of the argument, but as far as I can see, the farms are hurting the coastline. And the government seems ot want to open up even more of the coast to it...some flawed logic there

My 2 cents.

[Fish Assassin]

DFO is sticking their collective heads in the sand and denies that this is a problem

[Terry Bodman]

I attempted to discuss this issue with a local MLA about 4 years ago. Denied there was a problem and sent me gobs of research to refute my claim that fishfarms are a "disaster waiting to happen." I think I will reinitiate this discussion as this is an election year and he is looking for another 4 year job.

[The Gilly]

There have been recent reports in the Van Sun that DFO scientists are finding a link.  Lets see what will happen

[Robert]

Well, this is a very controversial issue which is a problem and has been a problem in the past.  Evidently, this issue has some serious consequences for both the environment and communities or industries, which feed off of this highly debated over resource.  In addition, salmon is in higher demand nowadays, and people(restaurants) want to put salmon on their menu.  As a result, they look for the farmed salmon because it's cheaper.

  Anyway, salmon farms attract sea lice and that's where sea lice are most abundant.  Furthermore, streams and rivers which are near these salmon farms are in great danger because the sea lice will attach to the juvenile fish when they are making their way out to the ocean and for relieif the fish will search for fresh water to get rid of the sea lice.  Inevitably, the fish which are heavily infested with sea lice will die.  Anyway, this is a huge/major problem which will have to be addressed by the government/DFO if they want the environment and salmon stocks in BC stay healthy.  However, BC isn't the only area dealing with a problem such as this one, some of the Atlantic communities have the same problem.

My 2 cents.

[Spudcote]

Agreed Robert, but the lice are initially brought to the farms by passing wild salmon, the farms simply serve as a rearing ground for the lice, the lice grow in population, and then by the time any smaller salmon (or any fish for that matter) pass back through the area, the already heavily infected farmed salmon simply pass on their lice to the passing salmon.

You gotta be pretty thick to not realize that there is a connection between the sea lice population explosion, and the proximity to the farms. 

And the lice are only a start to a host of other problems caused by the farms.

Robert, you mentioned that poeple want salmon on their menus, now that more people are becoming aware of the amount of chemicals going into the product, more people are turning away from it, and returning to wild stocks. The pressure on wild stocks isn't exactly great for the salmon, but it increases the price salmon for the commercial guys who were otherwise getting ripped off by having to compete with farmed salmon. Not sure if that made much sense...

[ColinB]

Similar problems here in the British Isles!  The west coast of Ireland Sea Trout have suffered so badly in places they have almost disappeared.  Ther is sure to be a reference about it on the net.  Try a search of the Delphi fishery if interested.

Colin

[Sandy]

A family member with another broadcaster (sky T.V.) tells me that he may also get out here from the U.K. to do a documentry on Salmon Farming.If it goes ahead I will be sure to nag him on my views.I have also given him links to the several sites in B.C.. though he's in the sound dept.As Colin said they have had to deal with this over the last couple of decades.Canada and B.C. will not even recognise that there is a problem.makes me sick

[newsman]

As a sport fishing columnist I have been following the fish farm issue for four years. Some of the reports, I have read, of things that go on in that industy are so discusting they turn my stomach. All I can say is we know who lifted the moratorium and a vote for them is a vote for further fish farm expantion.