Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing-related Issues & News => Topic started by: mykisscrazy on November 16, 2010, 12:09:30 PM
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CANADA - The number of sea lice in the natural environment is affected by the salinity of the ocean. There is a genetic difference between sea lice in the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Wild salmon in British Columbia (BC) have a natural ability to shed sea lice once the fish have reached a certain size.
These are all important points proven in the expansive body of sea lice research that need to be considered when reviewing the latest paper from anti-salmon farm campaigner Alexandra Morton, Michael Price and John Reynolds.
The study, titled "Evidence of farm-induced parasite infestations on wild juvenile salmon in multiple regions of coast British Columbia, Canada," not surprisingly given the author's backgrounds, concludes that salmon farms are a major source of sea lice on wild salmon and suggests in its introduction that this could be a cause for stock collapse.
The trouble is that their overly-simplistic analysis has significant gaps, reuses questionable methodology and is based on flawed assumptions. For example, the 'control site' - the area with no farms where they collect samples to compare with fish from near farms - has significantly lower salinity levels than the other locations. Since sea lice levels are naturally lower where salinity is reduced, this makes it a poor comparison.
There's more too about the natural environment that needs to be considered when researching sea lice - ocean currents, geography, natural population variations are all on that list.
The reality is that salmon in these areas seem to be doing quite well. There were notably -high returns of Pink salmon to the Broughton Archipelago in 2005 and 2009, and in 2008, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans sampled nearly 4000 Pink salmon and didn't find a single one at risk for lethal harm from sea lice. That's important, because we know that the only Pacific salmon at risk from sea lice is the Pink at very early stages of life when it's still too small to shed lice on its own.
This paper actually shows some real successes in farm management. It reports that sea lice intensity numbers throughout the study are very close or below the suggested conservation threshold recommended by the BC Pacific Salmon Forum report - developed over years of study and with five million dollars invested in research.
As one industry staffer (a registered professional biologist) said, a major weakness of this type of study is that it is done in isolation of other sea lice researchers. Salmon farmers are collaborating with researchers and regulators to investigate and address sea lice concerns. Together we're coming up with sound knowledge and solutions.
Our industry is well managed and highly regulated. Sea lice management programs have been proven effective - and our farmers are opening the doors to information, with the two largest producers - Marine Harvest Canada and Mainstream Canada - posting site-by-site sea lice data online.
We're proving that sound science leads to effective policy and sustainable industry. Studies like this one have to be read critically with that in perspective.
TheFishSite News Desk
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CANADA - The number of sea lice in the natural environment is affected by the salinity of the ocean. There is a genetic difference between sea lice in the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Wild salmon in British Columbia (BC) have a natural ability to shed sea lice once the fish have reached a certain size.
These are all important points proven in the expansive body of sea lice research that need to be considered when reviewing the latest paper from anti-salmon farm campaigner Alexandra Morton, Michael Price and John Reynolds.
The study, titled "Evidence of farm-induced parasite infestations on wild juvenile salmon in multiple regions of coast British Columbia, Canada," not surprisingly given the author's backgrounds, concludes that salmon farms are a major source of sea lice on wild salmon and suggests in its introduction that this could be a cause for stock collapse.
The trouble is that their overly-simplistic analysis has significant gaps, reuses questionable methodology and is based on flawed assumptions. For example, the 'control site' - the area with no farms where they collect samples to compare with fish from near farms - has significantly lower salinity levels than the other locations. Since sea lice levels are naturally lower where salinity is reduced, this makes it a poor comparison.
There's more too about the natural environment that needs to be considered when researching sea lice - ocean currents, geography, natural population variations are all on that list.
The reality is that salmon in these areas seem to be doing quite well. There were notably -high returns of Pink salmon to the Broughton Archipelago in 2005 and 2009, and in 2008, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans sampled nearly 4000 Pink salmon and didn't find a single one at risk for lethal harm from sea lice. That's important, because we know that the only Pacific salmon at risk from sea lice is the Pink at very early stages of life when it's still too small to shed lice on its own.
This paper actually shows some real successes in farm management. It reports that sea lice intensity numbers throughout the study are very close or below the suggested conservation threshold recommended by the BC Pacific Salmon Forum report - developed over years of study and with five million dollars invested in research.
As one industry staffer (a registered professional biologist) said, a major weakness of this type of study is that it is done in isolation of other sea lice researchers. Salmon farmers are collaborating with researchers and regulators to investigate and address sea lice concerns. Together we're coming up with sound knowledge and solutions.
Our industry is well managed and highly regulated. Sea lice management programs have been proven effective - and our farmers are opening the doors to information, with the two largest producers - Marine Harvest Canada and Mainstream Canada - posting site-by-site sea lice data online.
We're proving that sound science leads to effective policy and sustainable industry. Studies like this one have to be read critically with that in perspective.
TheFishSite News Desk
Perhaps the aquaculture industries reports would have more credibility if they dedicated 90% of the report to sea lice analysis and 10% to knocking the critics rather than 90% to knocking the critics and 10% to sea lice analysis.....
They obviously are convinced that "BS baffles brains". I question how much science they really do..... ???
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Glad your’e back mykisscrazy, and thanks for the information. I’m happy the aquaculture industry is defending themselves from the steady stream of misinformation as I am a strong proponent of fish farming, likening it to any other form of animal husbandry.
allwaysfishn, you mention credibility … how do you think the anti aquaculturists look in the general public’s eyes right now? Remember them emphatically stating “sea lice will cause the extinction of Broughton pinks and decimate Fraser sockeye” ……
Well, we know what happened …. record pinks last year, record sockeye numbers this year, all user groups with full freezers/fatter bank accounts.
Blaming sea lice on poor salmon returns is lame and I predict the much lauded Cohen Commission will eventually state that.
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I have not seen the shift back towards "farmed" salmon as a good thing... and wild salmon is still touted at restaurants as the "better" more "ocean safe" choice.... soooo... how has public perception changed? Not much.
The public doesn't pay attention to the nuts and bolts of it. They just want somebody to tell them if there is a problem with farmed salmon or not. There are still a lot of voices saying that aquaculture as it is currently practiced is a lousy addition to our coastlines, and for the most part they are taken more seriously than self-interested corporations (that nobody trusts to begin with).
All it takes is one picture of a sea lice infested juvenile wild salmon from a farmed salmon area and the public will fixate on that.
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Glad your’e back mykisscrazy, and thanks for the information. I’m happy the aquaculture industry is defending themselves from the steady stream of misinformation as I am a strong proponent of fish farming, likening it to any other form of animal husbandry.
allwaysfishn, you mention credibility … how do you think the anti aquaculturists look in the general public’s eyes right now? Remember them emphatically stating “sea lice will cause the extinction of Broughton pinks and decimate Fraser sockeye” ……
Well, we know what happened …. record pinks last year, record sockeye numbers this year, all user groups with full freezers/fatter bank accounts.
Blaming sea lice on poor salmon returns is lame and I predict the much lauded Cohen Commission will eventually state that.
Any comment about the damage fish farms have done to wild salmon and trout in many other countries, Chile, Scotland etc.. Why do we expect it to be any difference here in BC. As far as I know the proponets of fish farms never talk about these disasters to the wild fish in so many countries world wide.
And then there is these facts I have copied below. How can we support fish farms after we read articles like this, especially paying attention to item 3. We, the government should be putting more effort into looking after our wild stocks and then we would not have to worry about having farmed fish. It is well known the health of our wild fish stocks is a bell weather on how we are looking after our environment. Its disturbing that we destroy more habitat each passing day all in the name of progress, sad. Ocean located fish farms are just another example of this as well in my mind.
Aquaculture Creates Pollution
The US plans to open new fish farms met with opposition from fishermen and environmentalists who argued that pollution from the farms could threaten marine life. This is a point elaborated upon by the WWF in their web page “Problems: Aquaculture”. Fish farms at sea typically use an open net cage system which allows waste water to leak into the surrounding environment. The high concentration of fish in an aquaculture system means a large load of fish feces in a small area. This can cause algal blooms which reduce oxygen in the area as well as produce ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulphide. In excess, these compounds can kill marine life.
Fish Farm Escapees Endanger Marine Life
Fish farms are not high security prisons. Although farmers do their best to keep fish in their nets, these creatures often slip out. This is illustrated in the September 3, 2009 BBC article “Fish fears after sea farm escape” where 37,000 juvenile salmon escaped their Scottish nets to swim out to sea. The main problem cited in the article was the “genetic integrity” of wild salmon. Farmed fish are bred for certain traits and having them breed in the wild could cause havoc to the ecosystem. Another health issue, posed by the WWF in “Problems: Aquaculture” is the higher incidence of disease and parasites on fish farms. In particular, farmed salmon have a higher incidence of sea lice – which can be deadly to a fish.
Perhaps the worst problem posed by aquaculture is that it puts pressure on fish populations. As Ken Stier’s September 2007 Time Magazine article “Fish Farming’s Growing Dangers” points out, humans tend to eat carnivorous fish such as tuna, bass, and cod. These fish must be fed smaller fish which are typically caught from the wild and ground into fish meal. Roughly 37% of all seafood in the world is ground into feed. It takes 20 kilograms of fish feed to create 1 kilogram of tuna, making for a highly inefficient system.
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Chris, understand I realize there are problems associated with salmon farming as this industry is in it’s infancy and of course has growing pains. But think about this - how long has mankind domesticated other species … and still there are problems (think mad cow disease, swine/avian influenzas, etc).
IMO, aquacultures biggest obstacle to overcome is, as you stated, the fact it consumes so much protein, sadly from other fish. That problem must be addressed and it’s my understanding big bucks are being spent on research using plant proteins to supplement diets.
My post was about sea lice and the fact they did not appear to harm recent salmon returns despite the dire predictions from people on the nightly news; it was also about, as Marmot states, people’s desire to be told rather than use their intuition or common sense. :)
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Chris, understand I realize there are problems associated with salmon farming as this industry is in it’s infancy and of course has growing pains. But think about this - how long has mankind domesticated other species … and still there are problems (think mad cow disease, swine/avian influenzas, etc).
IMO, aquacultures biggest obstacle to overcome is, as you stated, the fact it consumes so much protein, sadly from other fish. That problem must be addressed and it’s my understanding big bucks are being spent on research using plant proteins to supplement diets.
My post was about sea lice and the fact they did not appear to harm recent salmon returns despite the dire predictions from people on the nightly news; it was also about, as Marmot states, people’s desire to be told rather than use their intuition or common sense. :)
In all respect "the growing pains" in other countries have decimated wild fish stocks and I certainly I donot want to see it happen here, be it sea lice or whatever has done so much damage in the mentioned countries. Marv has a great power point presentation that will show the damage fish farms have done.
I will get it to you when it is released.
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Thanks Chris. I've heard he has put together an interesting perspective and look forward to reading it.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/americas/27salmon.html?_r=1
Just an image problem Dave. Bad press, good mad cow.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/americas/27salmon.html?_r=1
Just an image problem Dave. Bad press, good mad cow.
With fish farms the truth may be somewhere in the middle and hopefully the Cohen commission will get to the truth. In the interim the supporters on either side likely exaggerate their claims/science in the interests of getting the public on their side. The public will eventually determine the fate of fish farms especially if people stop buying the penned salmon.
I am definitely be doing my part to spread my spin on penned salmon as I believe they are harming our pristine coastlines and the future of our wild salmon. Not eating penned salmon or any farmed shell fish is a decision I made many many years ago. Propaganda such as seen in the first post will do nothing to convince me salmon farms are not harmful.
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This is quite a revealing quote from the New York Times article.
"Environmentalists say the salmon are being farmed for export at the expense of almost everything else around. The equivalent of 7 to 11 pounds of fresh fish are required to produce 2 pounds of farmed salmon, according to estimates.
Salmon feces and food pellets are stripping the water of oxygen, killing other marine life and spreading disease, biologists and environmentalists say. Escaped salmon are eating other fish species and have begun invading rivers and lakes as far away as neighboring Argentina, researchers say."
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I read an article stating that this years sockeye run benefitted from a volcanic eruption in 2006 or so. That eruption and the ash that fell into the pacific fertalized the waters which lead to a huge increase in krill and plankton populations. Dave, one huge anomoly of a sockeye run doesnt mean there aren't problems out there with lice. I think that anyone who thinks they have figure out all the variables at play out there is highly delusional.
I pulled a number of sockeye out of seymour narrows this summer and I have never seen such heavy lice loads on adult fish...4-5 generations of lice, all over the bod, not just behind the anal fin. to me that indicates an obvious lice infestation in that area. oh, guess what, that area is loaded with fish farms too...kind of makes you wonder eh Dave???
Lets face it, all big business all lie and spin the truth. Their only responsibility is to the share holder and they care for little else. This is true of most industries: tobacco, pharma, fish farms, etc
Now if I were looking at two people arguing over a subject, I think I would be more skeptical of the one who has a financial interest in the matter (ie fish farms)...I am not sure why some people have an issue with Alexandra Morton's credibility...what industry interest is backing her or paying for her studies/reports?
on an interesting side note, I read an article saying farmed salmon had less omega 3 than beef (due to the fish's diet). Sounds like farmed salmon is no better than any other chemically, hormonally, or genetically mass produced protein.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/americas/27salmon.html?_r=1
Just an image problem Dave. Bad press, good mad cow.
Thanks so much for posting as I had not seen this, have sent to Alexendra and others encase they had not seen it.
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Please find enclosed a press update including:
"Extinction countdown: Rattling the salmon cages - Is salmon farming bad for the oceans?" (Scientific American, 17th November): http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=rattling-the-salmon-cages-concerns-2010-11-17
"Tofino, Ucluelet Residents Create New Film About Salmon Farming" (The Westcoaster, 17th November): http://www.westcoaster.ca/news/alberni-clayoquot/10335-Tofino-Ucluelet-Residents-Create-New-Film-About-Salmon-Farming.html
"Silver Harvest comes to the silver screen - A new half-hour film about the development of BC's salmon farming industry, its accomplishments and future plans is now online for public viewing" (BC Salmon Farmers Association, 17th November): http://www.salmonfarmers.org./silver-harvest-comes-silver-screen
"Vancouver Island gets new government aquaculture offices - As a result of the transition of the regulatory responsibility for aquaculture in British Columbia to the federal government, new offices will be established in Campbell River, Courtenay and Nanaimo" (Fish Farming Xpert, 17th November): http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=89819
"Sea lice study called misleading" (The Courier-Islander, 17th November): http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/story.html?id=8528eb16-0391-472b-9604-10851a228705
"'Superheroes' fight for salmon - New campaign sees the superheroes fighting for the justice of wild salmon" (FIS, 17th November): http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=39260&ndb=1&df=0
"Sea of facts delays salmon probe - Cohen inquiry takes two week hiatus to deal with documents" (The Globe & Mail, 16th November): http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/sea-of-facts-delays-salmon-probe/article1801463/
"Leaps of bad faith: More revelations of FDA bad behavior around GE salmon" (Grist, 16th November): http://www.grist.org/article/food-2010-11-16-fda-bad-behavor-over-ge-salmon
"B.C. salmon farmers planting eel grass - Local environmental consultant company develops method for transplanting vegetation into new habitat as compensation for salmon farm impacts" (Fish Farming Xpert, 16th November): http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=89809
"Sea lice from farmed salmon has been found infesting wild salmon in British Columbia" (The Earth Times, 16th November): http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/353836,sea-lice-from-farmed-salmon-has-been-found-infesting-wild.html
"Federal Fisheries Committee begins West coast fish farm tour: MP Donnelly calls for strengthening the fisheries act by moving to closed containment" (Fin Donnelly MP, 15th November): www.findonnelly.ca
"Troubling Emails Reveal Federal Scientists Fear FDA Approval of Genetically Engineered Salmon: “Maybe They [the FDA] Should Watch Jurassic Park.”" (Food & Water Watch, 15th November): http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/11/15-9
"The Ups and Downs of Fraser River Sockeye - Public Presentation December 6" (Salmon Are Sacred, 15th November): http://salmonaresacred.org/event/ups-and-downs-fraser-river-sockeye-public-presentation-december-6
"A dedication to the 'Salmon Woman'" (J Peachy Gallery, 15th November): http://jpeachygallery.com/2010/11/15/a-dedication-to-the-salmon-woman/
"Superheroes Fight for Disclosure of Disease Data" (ECO, 15th November): http://www.huffstrategy.com/MediaManager/release/Super-Heroes-4-Salmon/15-11-10/Superheroes-Fight-for-Disclosure-of-Disease-Data/2122.html
"Salmon farms pit two heavyweights into battle" (Bernard's BCIT Journal, 15th November): http://bernardatbcit.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/heavyweights-duke-it-out-over-salmon-farming-in-b-c/
"DFO to oversee aquaculture" (Nanaimo News Bulletin, 15th November): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/news/108237979.html
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To my mind it's an indication of how limited the Salmon Aquaculture industry is that they would send their shills to post lies on forums like this.
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Don't get trapped into debating the minutiae of the research. The tobacco industry played that game for years.
Are open containment salmon farms a risk to wild salmon? Probably yes. Is there a devastating risk? Probably no but we don't know. Will we ever know? Probably no unless the risk is devastating and then we will find out too late.
So is it worth the risk? I say no because we don't know, so put salmon farms in containment.
Buy unused oil tankers, fix up the tanks, add filters, chillers etc and park them anywhere you like.
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if we are not sure weather salmon farms will or have caused wild stock decline, then the precautionary principle should apply.
Too bad businesses don't really know the significance of it.
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RAFE HERE ... this from a reader tells what farmed fish do even when there are no wild salmon. Moreover, because of the disease - thought to have come from the eggs from Norway where local fish farms get their eggs - have caused massive unemployment. Further, the small fish industry - smelt, sardines, etc - is all but gone. And the nearly Campbell-less government thinks this is a marvelous industry for BC.
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Rafe: Most likely you have not read the article Patagonia's Peril in the Feb. 2010 National Geographic magazine -see page 4 of 5. If you haven't time for the whole article, I've copied the most relevent paragraphs below
Over the past century the indigenous inhabitants have dwindled. The rookery of seals that early explorers found at the entrance to Eyre Fjord, where Pío XI terminates, is long gone. The whales of many species that frequented these fjords now barely make up a biological quorum. A red tide plagues the mussels that once sustained the fishing economy. The Alacaluf Indians, who once hunted and fished here, have dwindled to a handful of disconsolate souls in Puerto Edén, a place whose only Edenic quality is its distance from the rest of the world.
Distance is no protection these days. After Norway, Chile is the world's largest producer of farmed salmon, which are grown in podlike cages anchored offshore in Las Guaitecas National Reserve near the Northern Ice Field. (What is legally preserved in Guaitecas and other parks is the land, not the water.) The Norwegian companies that began salmon farming in Chile came here because the fjords were unspoiled. That is no longer the case. Like nearly every form of concentrated animal agriculture, salmon aquaculture creates an excess of waste. Here salmon farms deaden the water, creating anoxic conditions, and have led to the spread of a lethal salmon virus called infectious salmon anemia. The solution of the salmon-farming companies has simply been to move south into clean waters. Already the companies have taken out new leases on stretches of water throughout the southern fjords.
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One thing I have found to be sad about this whole thing is that places like Chile are a far cry from the kind of democracy we pride ourselves on here.How we could have swallowed the Liberal line about bringing all these new jobs and prosperity with this industry.Some good jobs sure.but when the cost is so great in terms of what we hold so dear it is a shame there is not a mechanism that could have halted this in its tracks before the damage got to where it is today.
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One thing I have found to be sad about this whole thing is that places like Chile are a far cry from the kind of democracy we pride ourselves on here.How we could have swallowed the Liberal line about bringing all these new jobs and prosperity with this industry.Some good jobs sure.but when the cost is so great in terms of what we hold so dear it is a shame there is not a mechanism that could have halted this in its tracks before the damage got to where it is today.
The aquaculture industry creates relatively few jobs. Think of all the jobs required to maintain the pens if they were on land. In the ocean, this maintenance is free.
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The aquaculture industry creates relatively few jobs. Think of all the jobs required to maintain the pens if they were on land. In the ocean, this maintenance is free.
My experience has been entirely different. Fresh water is pretty much with out maintenance. Salt water maintenance is rigorous on everything that comes in contact with it.
Relatively few jobs compared to what?
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My experience has been entirely different. Fresh water is pretty much with out maintenance. Salt water maintenance is rigorous on everything that comes in contact with it.
Relatively few jobs compared to what?
According to the recent DFO report on the economics of recirculting land-contained farming versus coastal ocean netcage farming, a land farm creates an average of 18 jobs while a net cage farm creates 10.
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According to the recent DFO report on the economics of recirculting land-contained farming versus coastal ocean netcage farming, a land farm creates an average of 18 jobs while a net cage farm creates 10.
Maybe now but I think it would be fare to estimate that after some practice industry would whittle away at that number over over time which could mean a profit margin higher that 4%.
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http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/12/03/1009573108.full.pdf+html
Curious what people think of Ms. Morton now? I'm sure given her iperceived ntent people accept her slanderous approach.
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http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/12/03/1009573108.full.pdf+html
Curious what people think of Ms. Morton now? I'm sure given her iperceived ntent people accept her slanderous approach.
http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2010/12/where-are-we-at-with-salmon-feedlots.html
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http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/718360--study-says-sea-lice-didn-t-kill-salmon-run
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Sea lice not cause of wild salmon collapse, researchers say
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 1:08PM EST
Last updated Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 10:12PM EST
Sea lice from farmed salmon are not to blame for a dramatic collapse of wild stocks on the West Coast, a trio of Canadian and U.S. researchers has concluded, using industry data previously not available to scientists.
The findings, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are a major departure from a growing body of research that has pointed to sea lice from fish farms as key suspects in the decline of wild Pacific salmon in British Columbia.
Industry representatives say they hope the paper will change the tenor of the increasingly truculent debate in B.C., in which the aquaculture industry has been under attack for its environmental impact.
The report, by Gary Marty of the University of California, Davis, Sonja Saksida of the B.C. Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences and Terrance Quinn of the University of Alaska, is unequivocal: There is no direct correlation between the number of lice in salmon farms and the decline of wild stocks.
The lead author, Dr. Marty, said the researchers got unprecedented access to detailed fish health and farm productivity records from 26 fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago, off the northeast shoulder of Vancouver Island.
The data, which the industry has previously refused to release to researchers, covered 10 years for health information and 20 years for productivity, and were compared with 60 years of records showing the returns of wild pink salmon to nearby rivers.
“[Wild] salmon populations normally go up and down and our analysis shows that that is not affected by sea lice numbers or farmed fish harvest numbers,” Dr. Marty said.
“The data from Broughton Archipelago pink salmon populations and sea lice experiments best fit the conclusion that the majority of pink salmon deaths are caused by something other than sea lice, and our farm data supports the conclusion that farm lice did not significantly decrease pink salmon productivity over the past decade,” states the paper, which was edited by Carl Walters, a fisheries researcher at the University of B.C.
Dr. Marty, who has worked for the fish farming industry in the United States, said the finding means environmentalists’ demands that fish farms be moved away from the migratory routes of wild salmon are not justified.
“Based on the lack of evidence for a significant negative relationship between farm fish and pink salmon productivity, the data do not support the hypothesis that separating farm fish from wild fish will increase pink salmon marine survival,” the paper states.
The research did find, however, that fish farms grow a lot of sea lice, with two farms having an estimated 18.7 million lice in one monthly checkup.
And Dr. Marty said there is no doubt sea lice move from farms to wild fish in the spring, when juvenile salmon migrate past on their way to the open ocean.
But he said the reverse is also true, with adult wild salmon being the source of lice that infest farmed salmon in the fall.
Dr. Marty, whose colleague, Dr. Saksida, does contract work for fish farms in the study area, said the researchers did not determine what is causing wild stocks to collapse.
“Sea lice is one component to consider, but we need to have a broader look at what is going on,” he said, suggesting that more effort be put into examining diseases.
Alexandra Morton, a researcher and environmental activist who has published papers in science journals about the negative impact of sea lice on wild salmon, said she isn’t convinced by the research, which runs dramatically contrary to her findings.
“I did an extensive study on the impact of sea lice on juvenile wild salmon and I watched these fish die. You can’t convince me otherwise. It’s something I have observed,” she said.
“I think any fish pathologist would look at these fish [infested with sea lice] and say they are heavily compromised. And so this paper really should have given us some clue as to what killed these fish. To just put out that it was something different I think is, well, not credible,” Ms. Morton said.
Clare Backman, director of environmental compliance for Marine Harvest Canada, B.C.’s largest aquaculture company, said the study is welcome good news for the fish-farming industry.
“This paper does turn the argument around quite significantly,” said Mr. Backman, whose company is responsible for more than half the 80,000 tonnes of fresh salmon produced in B.C. each year.
“This report provides a counterargument to the simplistic statement that sea lice from salmon farms are the cause of the decline of some of the Pacific stocks,” he said.
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Please find enclosed a press update including a flurry of ‘Sea Lice Not Guilty’ articles following a new scientific paper:
“Where are we at with salmon feedlots” (Alexandra Morton, 14th December): http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2010/12/where-are-we-at-with-salmon-feedlots.html
“Study: Lice-Infested Farmed Salmon Not to Blame for Wild Salmon Die-Off” (Discover Magazine, 14th December): http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/12/14/study-lice-infested-farmed-salmon-not-to-blame-for-wild-salmon-die-off/
“Lice found not guilty of salmon decline” (New Scientist, 14th December): http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19867-lice-found-not-guilty-of-salmon-decline.html
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Farmed salmon may not harm wild salmon
” (USA Today, 14th December): http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/12/farmed-salmon-may-not-harm-wild-salmon/1
“Sea lice not the cause of pink salmon crash” (Fish Farming Xpert, 14th December): http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=90058
“Sea lice not cause of salmon decline: study” (Business in Vancouver, 14th December): http://www.bivinteractive.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3506&Itemid=32
“DFO to assume broader role in BC aquaculture” (FIS, 14th December): http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?monthyear=&day=14&id=39702&l=e&special=&ndb=1%20target=
“Dramatic decline not caused by lice” (A News, 13th December): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1a0KpamxIQ
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Fish-farm lice acquitted of killing wild fish: Sea lice from ocean pen farms might not be a menace to wild salmon
” (Nature, 13th December): http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101213/full/news.2010.669.html
“Cermaq CEO warns against too much treatment of salmon lice” (Intrafish, 13th December): http://www.intrafish.no/global/news/article280490.ece
“
Sea lice didn't hurt salmon in 2002: report
” (The Tyee, 13th December): http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Food-Farming/2010/12/13/SeaLice/
“Sea lice 'not to blame for Pacific salmon decline'” (BBC, 13th December): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11984246
“Sea Lice not guilty” (CFJC TV7, 13th December): http://cfjctv.com/story.php?id=584
“Study acquits salmon-farm lice in crash of B.C. humpy run” (Anchorage Daily News, 13th December): http://www.adn.com/2010/12/13/1601991/study-acquits-salmon-farm-lice.html
“Pacific salmon not affected by lice: study” (CBC, 13th December): http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/12/13/science-salmon-study.html
“
Disputed study says sea lice didn’t kill 2002 salmon run
” (Toronto Star/Canadian Press, 13th December): http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/environment/article/906320--disputed-study-says-sea-lice-didn-t-kill-2002-salmon-run and http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101213/bc_sea_lice_study_101213/20101213?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
“Researchers: salmon farms didn't cause B.C. wild salmon collapse” (Intrafish, 13th December): http://www.intrafish.no/global/news/article280558.ece
“Rediscovering the known” (High Country News, 13th December): http://www.hcn.org/hcn/blogs/range/rediscovering-the-known
“New study disproves sea lice accusations in Broughton” (BC Salmon Farmers’ Association, 13th December): http://www.salmonfarmers.org/new-study-disproves-sea-lice-accusations-broughton
“Wild-salmon decline was not caused by sea lice from farm salmon” (University of California Davis, 13th December): http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9698
“Federal government takes over B.C. fish farms” (Fish Farming Xpert, 13th December): http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=90049
“
Environmental groups fishing for fictitious facts: Wild salmon inquiry listens to a myriad of accusations thrown out in a witch hunt by members of the anti-salmon farming community and orders the release of confidential data - most of which have already been released to governments in an adequate manner
” (Fish Farming Xpert, 10th December): http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=90033
“Thanks for the compliments, but....” (The Courier-Islander, 10th December):
http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/letters/story.html?id=566a3a98-9c7e-4368-b41a-903ed9e50e5e
“Salmon: these fish are survivors” (Campbell River Mirror, 9th December):
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/campbellrivermirror/community/111621234.html
-
Quote.
Alexandra Morton, a researcher and environmental activist who has published papers in science journals about the negative impact of sea lice on wild salmon, said she isn’t convinced by the research, which runs dramatically contrary to her findings.
“I did an extensive study on the impact of sea lice on juvenile wild salmon and I watched these fish die. You can’t convince me otherwise. It’s something I have observed,” she said.
“I think any fish pathologist would look at these fish [infested with sea lice] and say they are heavily compromised. And so this paper really should have given us some clue as to what killed these fish. To just put out that it was something different I think is, well, not credible,” Ms. Morton said. End Quote
Credible? not the best word for her to use. Too bad this dynamic, energetic and passionate woman isn't directing her talents to other more pressing issues regarding wild salmon..
-
Sea lice not cause of wild salmon collapse, researchers say
MARK HUME
VANCOUVER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 1:08PM EST
Last updated Monday, Dec. 13, 2010 10:12PM EST
Sea lice from farmed salmon are not to blame for a dramatic collapse of wild stocks on the West Coast, a trio of Canadian and U.S. researchers has concluded, using industry data previously not available to scientists.
The findings, published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are a major departure from a growing body of research that has pointed to sea lice from fish farms as key suspects in the decline of wild Pacific salmon in British Columbia.
Industry representatives say they hope the paper will change the tenor of the increasingly truculent debate in B.C., in which the aquaculture industry has been under attack for its environmental impact.
The report, by Gary Marty of the University of California, Davis, Sonja Saksida of the B.C. Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences and Terrance Quinn of the University of Alaska, is unequivocal: There is no direct correlation between the number of lice in salmon farms and the decline of wild stocks.
The lead author, Dr. Marty, said the researchers got unprecedented access to detailed fish health and farm productivity records from 26 fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago, off the northeast shoulder of Vancouver Island.
The data, which the industry has previously refused to release to researchers, covered 10 years for health information and 20 years for productivity, and were compared with 60 years of records showing the returns of wild pink salmon to nearby rivers.
“[Wild] salmon populations normally go up and down and our analysis shows that that is not affected by sea lice numbers or farmed fish harvest numbers,” Dr. Marty said.
“The data from Broughton Archipelago pink salmon populations and sea lice experiments best fit the conclusion that the majority of pink salmon deaths are caused by something other than sea lice, and our farm data supports the conclusion that farm lice did not significantly decrease pink salmon productivity over the past decade,” states the paper, which was edited by Carl Walters, a fisheries researcher at the University of B.C.
Dr. Marty, who has worked for the fish farming industry in the United States, said the finding means environmentalists’ demands that fish farms be moved away from the migratory routes of wild salmon are not justified.
“Based on the lack of evidence for a significant negative relationship between farm fish and pink salmon productivity, the data do not support the hypothesis that separating farm fish from wild fish will increase pink salmon marine survival,” the paper states.
The research did find, however, that fish farms grow a lot of sea lice, with two farms having an estimated 18.7 million lice in one monthly checkup.
And Dr. Marty said there is no doubt sea lice move from farms to wild fish in the spring, when juvenile salmon migrate past on their way to the open ocean.
But he said the reverse is also true, with adult wild salmon being the source of lice that infest farmed salmon in the fall.
Dr. Marty, whose colleague, Dr. Saksida, does contract work for fish farms in the study area, said the researchers did not determine what is causing wild stocks to collapse.
“Sea lice is one component to consider, but we need to have a broader look at what is going on,” he said, suggesting that more effort be put into examining diseases.
Alexandra Morton, a researcher and environmental activist who has published papers in science journals about the negative impact of sea lice on wild salmon, said she isn’t convinced by the research, which runs dramatically contrary to her findings.
“I did an extensive study on the impact of sea lice on juvenile wild salmon and I watched these fish die. You can’t convince me otherwise. It’s something I have observed,” she said.
“I think any fish pathologist would look at these fish [infested with sea lice] and say they are heavily compromised. And so this paper really should have given us some clue as to what killed these fish. To just put out that it was something different I think is, well, not credible,” Ms. Morton said.
Clare Backman, director of environmental compliance for Marine Harvest Canada, B.C.’s largest aquaculture company, said the study is welcome good news for the fish-farming industry.
“This paper does turn the argument around quite significantly,” said Mr. Backman, whose company is responsible for more than half the 80,000 tonnes of fresh salmon produced in B.C. each year.
“This report provides a counterargument to the simplistic statement that sea lice from salmon farms are the cause of the decline of some of the Pacific stocks,” he said.
All competely unbiased people:
Dr. Marty, who has worked for the fish farming industry in the United States
Sonja Saksida of the B.C. Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences - DFO flunky -http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/rd2009/rdsealice-pou_02-eng.htm
Also industry flunky "Saksida, as part of her private veterinary practice over the past 15 years, has done contract work for all three fish farm companies that operate in the study area"
http://fundytides.blogspot.com/
Terrence Quinn - seemed to be against farming then changed his mind.
http://mari-biotech.nstl.gov.cn/MirrorResources/6217/index.html (http://mari-biotech.nstl.gov.cn/MirrorResources/6217/index.html)
Large-scale mariculture activities (farming of fish, shrimp, and other marine organisms)—especially if they are poorly managed—also can affect marine ecosystems through damage to coastal wetlands and nearshore ecosystems associated with the construction of shore-based or nearshore facilities; through contamination of the water with food, antibiotics, and waste; and through the introduction of diseases and exotic genotypes.
-
Quote.
Alexandra Morton, a researcher and environmental activist who has published papers in science journals about the negative impact of sea lice on wild salmon, said she isn’t convinced by the research, which runs dramatically contrary to her findings.
“I did an extensive study on the impact of sea lice on juvenile wild salmon and I watched these fish die. You can’t convince me otherwise. It’s something I have observed,” she said.
“I think any fish pathologist would look at these fish [infested with sea lice] and say they are heavily compromised. And so this paper really should have given us some clue as to what killed these fish. To just put out that it was something different I think is, well, not credible,” Ms. Morton said. End Quote
Credible? not the best word for her to use. Too bad this dynamic, energetic and passionate woman isn't directing her talents to other more pressing issues regarding wild salmon..
I would add it is too bad those charged in looking after our wild salmon stocks and the environment would not do more in protecting our salmon, so dedicated people like Alexandra do not have to give so much time and energy in doing what should be done by our provincial and federal government departments.
One only has to look back the last 50 years to the poor job they have done on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. It is too bad economics now rule over the well being and survival of our fish and the environment they live in.
-
Please find enclosed a press update including:
“DFO is controlling agenda of salmon inquiry: Department's inability to manage Fraser River sockeye should be at issue, but probe is focusing elsewhere”
(Richmond News, 20th December):
http://www.richmond-news.com/news/controlling+agenda+salmon+inquiry/3996850/story.html
“Genetically modified fish lawsuit threatened” (CBC, 20th December): http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/12/20/pei-trout-unlimited-aquabounty-584.html
“Conflict of knowledge” (Grass!struggle, 18th December): http://grassstruggle.blogspot.com/2010/12/conflict-of-knowledge.html
“Major progress in 2010; Next stop: federal funding for closed containment” (Farmed & Dangerous, December): http://farmedanddangerous.org/page/newsletter-december-2010#2010
“A crack in the egg tale” (The Courier-Islander, 17th December):
http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/opinion/story.html?id=5602453f-96e3-4904-abb0-e19b754bb42f
“Sea lice study does not tip the scale on weight of scientific evidence” (Farmed & Dangerous, 16th December): www.farmedanddangerous.org
“New study suggesting sea lice not to blame for harming wild salmon inconclusive, unconvincing” (Farmed & Dangerous, 16th December): http://blog.farmedanddangerous.org/2010/12/new-study-sea-lice-wild-salmon-inconclusive-unconvincing/
“Salmon Study is Good News to Local Fish Farmers” (HQ Comox Valley, 16th December): http://hqcomoxvalley.com/news/local/news/Local/10/12/16/Salmon-Study-is-Good-News-to-Local-Fish-Farmers
“
Fish farm study dismisses sea lice impact
” (North Island Gazette, 16th December): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/northislandgazette/news/111892909.html
“Impact is ‘indisputable’” (North Island Gazette, 16th December): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/northislandgazette/news/111892974.html
“Federal fish farm regs applauded” (North Island Gazette, 16th December):
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/northislandgazette/news/111892969.html
“Track real causes of salmon declines” (The Times Colonist, 16th December): http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Track+real+causes+salmon+declines/3985816/story.html
“
Fishery expansion ‘in limbo’: N.B. aquaculture firm trying to land sites in Digby, Shelburne waiting for approval of fish farms
” (Chronicle Herald, 16th December): http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1217472.html
“
AgriMarine Begins Rearing Salmon in China
” (Digital Journal, 16th December): http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/185334
“Self serving BS” (Rafe Mair, 15th December): http://rafeonline.com/
“
Be a Superhero this Xmas! Salmon Superhero Competition Launched
” (Superheroes 4 Salmon, 15th December): http://www.superheroes4salmon.org/blog/salmon-superhero-competition-launched-one-month-be-hero-closing-date-15th-january
“Sea lice study contains prior known information” (Nanaimo Daily News, 15th December):
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=3bde2192-c226-4c6b-9454-52a2b69ba71f
“Studies start to explain sockeye cycles” (The Times Colonist, 15th December):
http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Studies+start+explain+sockeye+cycles/3979250/story.html
“Aquaculture farm threatens wild salmon: Atlantic Salmon Federation” (Fisheries Information Service, 15th December): http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?monthyear=&day=15&id=39731&l=e&special=&ndb=1%20target=
“
Search warrants issued to Cooke for lobster deaths probe” (Intrafish, 15th December): http://www.intrafish.no/global/news/article280656.ece
“Sea lice not the culprit of the 2002 wild salmon collapse: study” (Fisheries Information Service, 15th December): http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?monthyear=12-2010&day=15&id=39720&l=e&country=0&special=&ndb=1&df=0
“Biostitutes shill for salmon shysters” (Sea Shepherd, 14th December):
http://www.seashepherd.nl/news-and-media/editorial-101214-2.html
“The new sea lice paper” (Alexandra Morton, 14th December): http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2010/12/the-new-sea-lice-paper.html
“Selective science” (
Grass!struggle, 14th December): http://grassstruggle.blogspot.com/2010/12/selective-science.html
“Shut down net-cage fish farms” (Comox Valley Record, 14th December): http://www.canada.com/Shut+down+cage+fish+farms/3977885/story.html
“
Sadly, Violence May Be on the Way in Battle for BC's Environment
” (The Common Sense Canadian, 14th December): http://thecanadian.org/k2/item/435-violence-battle-for-bc-environment-rafe-mair
“Study clears farm salmon from causing decline of wild salmon” (Digital Journal, 14th December): http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/301422
“Sea lice not to blame for salmon collapse: study” (The Times Colonist, 14th December): http://www.timescolonist.com/health/lice+blame+salmon+collapse+study/3973481/story.html
“Questions and answers about the new salmon study” (Positive Aquaculture Awareness, 14th December): http://www.farmfreshsalmon.org/questions-and-answers-about-new-salmon-study
“My Christmas wish list is all about fairness” (Times & Transcript, 14th December): http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/sports/article/1350950
“Globe & Mail Fish Farm Sea Lice Article is Absolutely Shameful” (Chromer, 13th December): http://chromersportfishing.blogspot.com/2010/12/globe-mail-fish-farm-sea-lice-article.html
“New sea lice study exposes activist driven science” (Positive Aquaculture Awareness, 13th December): http://www.farmfreshsalmon.org/new-sea-lice-study-exposes-activist-driven-science
“Science News & Commentary: New study suggesting sea lice not to blame for harming wild salmon is inconclusive and fails to convince when weighed against the full scope of science on this subject” (Farmed & Dangerous, 13th December): http://farmedanddangerous.org/page/newsandcommentary
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Prince's salmon trust highlights threatPremium Article !Your account has been frozen. For your available options click the below button.
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Date: 03 January 2011
By Mike Merritt
Prince's A CONSERVATION body headed by the Prince of Wales has launched an astonishing attack on the Scottish Government over the threat of extinction to wild salmon.
The Atlantic Salmon Trust has blasted "laissez-faire policies" towards fish farming and netting which together they say are "killing" the natural species.
The Perth-based trust, whose patron is Prince Charles, said it would be pressing the government
to force the industry to address its "most urgent concerns," the impacts of sea lice from farm cages and potential genetic damage to wild salmon from thousands of escaped farmed fish. It also attacked the government for allowing mixed stocks netting, which it wants banned.
Prince Charles, who regularly fishes on the Dee, is said to be "very concerned" about the threats facing Atlantic salmon.
He has offered two season licences on one of his rivers for auction next month to help fund research to save the species from declining. The trust aims to raise more than £100,000.
But in his official end-of-year review, trust chief executive Tony Andrews said west coast rivers in particular were suffering from fish farming.
He said: "Salmon aquaculture on the Scottish west coast continues to damage stocks of already depleted wild salmon and sea trout, and the irresponsibility of killing salmon and sea trout by mixed stocks netting appears to be actively supported by the Scottish Government, despite international pressure to end the practice
-
Listen to Alexandra Morton on CBC’s ‘Ideas’ show with Paul Kennedy on Monday (10th January) – ‘Saving Salmon’: http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/schedule/#january
Please find enclosed a press update including:
“Saving Salmon” (CBC, 10th January): http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/schedule/#january
“
Containment key to sustainable aquaculture
” (Chronicle Herald, 6th January): http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1220471.html
“Salmon Management Should Include Bears, Whales and other Wildlife” (Huffington Post, 6th January): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-genovali/salmon-management-should-_b_788527.html
“Store caught changing best-before date” (CTV, 5th January):
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110104/bc_fishy_fish_110104/20110104?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
“Insider trading” (The Courier-Islander, 5th January):
http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/opinion/story.html?id=9d3e5bcd-f366-4ae0-a65f-75c71ced9cde
“
Feeding grounds abandoned as bald eagles search for salmon - Poor chum runs are behind the low number of raptors, observers say
” (The Vancouver Sun, 4th January): http://www.vancouversun.com/Feeding+grounds+abandoned+bald+eagles+search+salmon/4055548/story.html
“
Island gains 43 jobs in aquaculture: Most employees will be at work within next three weeks, DFO says
” (The Times Colonist, 4th January):
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Island+gains+jobs+aquaculture/4060375/story.html
“Sockeye report extensive” (The Times Colonist, 4th January):
http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Sockeye+report+extensive/4056081/story.html
“Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Fifty-Two New Federal Aquaculture Jobs Support Local Communities” (Marketwire, 4th January):
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Fisheries-Oceans-Canada-Fifty-Two-New-Federal-Aquaculture-Jobs-Support-Local-Communities-1375563.htm
“Lawmakers introduce legislation to protect wild salmon” (Tundra Drums, 3rd January): http://www.thetundradrums.com/article/1101lawmakers_introduce_legislation_to_protect
“The Year of the Wild Salmon People” (Alexandra Morton, 1st January): http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2011/01/the-year-of-the-wild-salmon-people.html
“Salmon Farming Industry Bullies Scotland Into Halting Safety Checks” (Change, 31st December): http://food.change.org/blog/view/salmon_farming_industry_bullies_scotland_into_halting_safety_checks
“New study says salmon farms amplify sea lice numbers” (The Courier-Islander, 31st December): http://www.canada.com/study+says+salmon+farms+amplify+lice+numbers/4043361/story.html
“Canadian ‘Frankenfish’ Named One of 2010 Top Inventions - FDA could soon approve genetically modified salmon, lawsuit threatened” (Epoch Times, 30th December):
“Are salmon pen pesticides killing lobsters?” (Working Waterfront, 29th December): http://www.workingwaterfront.com/articles/Are-salmon-pen-pesticides-killing-lobsters/14157/
“
Study: BC salmon farms amplify sea lice
” (World Fishing, 25th December): http://www.worldfishing.net/news101/new-study-bc-salmon-farms-amplify-sea-lice-controlling-lice-challenging
“
New aquaculture regulations deemed inadequate
” (Comox Valley Record, 23rd December): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/news/112407489.html
“
BC salmon farms increase sea lice numbers: Report
” (The Tyee, 23rd December): http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Food-Farming/2010/12/23/SeaLice/
“Salmon farm critics highlight study on sea lice outbreaks” (The Straight, 23rd December): http://www.straight.com/article-365766/vancouver/salmon-farm-critics-highlight-study-sea-lice-outbreaks
“Sea lice study blames B.C. salmon farms” (Seafood Source, 23rd December):
http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx?id=8810
“Watershed Watch Study on BC Salmon Farms Released” (Village 900 Radio, 23rd December): http://village900.blogspot.com/2010/12/watershed-watch-study-on-bc-salmon.html
“
Fish farm potential checked
” (North Island Gazette, 23rd December): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/northislandgazette/news/112278549.html
“Hmm – Sea Lice: An unworthy scapegoat?” (Gorge Fly Shop, 22nd December): http://gorgeflyshops.blogspot.com/2010/12/hmm-sea-lice-unworthy-scapegoat.html
-
Please find enclosed a press update including:
“Salmon farmers fight back” (The Vancouver Sun, 12th January): http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/industry/archive/2011/01/12/salmon-farmers-fight-back.aspx
“BC Salmon activist Declines Political Offer” (All Voices, 12th January):
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7864273-bc-salmon-activist-declines-political-offer/content/70462731-orcas-at-play
“No resistance found” (The Courier-Islander, 12th January):
http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/opinion/story.html?id=0b665658-9795-4bbb-a999-018a4267b900
“Fish farm dispute” (A News, 11th January): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r34kqCeJw2o
“Morton declines NDP offer to run” (The Courier-Islander, 11th January): http://www2.canada.com/courierislander/news/story.html?id=885862eb-cc68-4de2-812a-09daddd204fc
“Biologist Alexandra Morton confirms she will not run for the NDP” (The Straight, 11th January):
http://www.straight.com/article-367820/vancouver/biologist-alexandra-morton-confirms-she-will-not-run-ndp
“Governments appeal First Nation sea lice lawsuit” (CTV, 11th January): http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110111/bc_sea_lice_110111/20110111?hub=BritishColumbiaHome
“Court appeal disappoints B.C. First Nation” (CBC/The Canadian Press, 11th January):
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/01/11/bc-court-appeal-first-nations.html
“My decision” (Alexandra Morton, 11th January): http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2011/01/my-decision.html
“MH Canada criticized over farmed salmon” (The Fish Site, 11th January): http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/13980/mh-canada-criticised-over-farmed-salmon
“Salmon farming campaign cuts out the middle man” (Marine Harvest Canada, 11th January): http://www.marineharvestcanada.com/news011111.php
“Salmon Farming Exposed” (Debate Your Plate, 11th January): http://www.debateyourplate.com/home/salmon-farming-exposed/
“Morton ‘thinking’ about bid for North Island NDP nomination” (Campbell River Mirror, 11th January): http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/campbellrivermirror/news/113304389.html
“Salmon Farms Co-operate To Fight Sea Lice” (The Fish Site, 10th January): http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/13961/salmon-farms-cooperate-to-fight-sea-lice
“Saving Salmon” (CBC Ideas, 10th January): http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/episodes/2011/01/10/saving-salmon/
“
Salmon farming is the most regulated agricultural industry in British Columbia
” (BC Salmon Facts/You Tube, 7th January): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFKZZQv0cuQ
-
Have you seen the farmers latest commercials? http://www.youtube.com/bcsalmonfacts#p/u/12/Z8jFop1vftY (http://www.youtube.com/bcsalmonfacts#p/u/12/Z8jFop1vftY)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rCXZETiNY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rCXZETiNY)
Funny ads but I'm not sure they are going to convince a lot of people that salmon farming in ocean pens are good for wild salmon...... ???
-
Have you seen the farmers latest commercials? http://www.youtube.com/bcsalmonfacts#p/u/12/Z8jFop1vftY (http://www.youtube.com/bcsalmonfacts#p/u/12/Z8jFop1vftY)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rCXZETiNY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rCXZETiNY)
Funny ads but I'm not sure they are going to convince a lot of people that salmon farming in ocean pens are good for wild salmon...... ???
Perhaps not but they should, I hope, get people thinking/making decisions for themselves ;)
-
Please find enclosed a press update including:
“Poll declares salmon kings” (The Times Colonist, 21st January):
http://www.timescolonist.com/Poll+declares+salmon+kings/4143285/story.html
“Middle Bay project means an end to open net cage farms - Donnelly” (The Courier-Islander, 21st January): http://www.canada.com/Middle+project+means+open+cage+farms+Donnelly/4144502/story.html
“Salmon Farming Standards Neglect Environment” (The Fish Site, 21st January): http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/14064/salmon-farming-standards-neglect-environment
“Most want salmon to become an official symbol of B.C.” (The Vancouver Sun, 21st January): http://www.vancouversun.com/Most+want+salmon+become+official+symbol/4142685/story.html
“Coming Clean to Cohen on Diseases - D-Day for BC Salmon Farmers in global fight for disease protection” (Superheroes 4 Salmon, 21st January): http://www.superheroes4salmon.org/blog/coming-clean-cohen-diseases-d-day-bc-salmon-farmers-global-fight-disease-protection
“'Contained' economics get better and better” (The Courier-Islander, 21st January): http://www.canada.com/Contained+econmics+better+better/4144501/story.html
“Make pacific salmon B.C.'s official fish, say New Democrats” (The Vancouver Observer, 20th January): http://www.vancouverobserver.com/localvocal/2011/01/20/make-pacific-salmon-bcs-official-fish-say-new-democrats
“Poll shows strong support for making Pacific salmon B.C.’s official fish” (The Straight, 20th January): http://www.straight.com/article-369524/vancouver/poll-shows-strong-support-making-pacific-salmon-bcs-official-fish
“Blocking GM Salmon Tops Legislative Agenda” (International Business Times, 20th January): http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/20110120/blocking-gm-salmon-tops-legislative-agenda.htm
“Senator Will Introduce Bill to Block Frankenfish” (Earth Justice, 20th January): http://earthjustice.org/blog/2011-january/senator-will-introduce-bill-to-block-frankenfish
Includes a vote in The Straight on: “Should Pacific salmon be made B.C.'s official fish emblem?” [‘Yes’ is currently at 93%]
And note that today (21st January) is the deadline for the BCSFA to deliver 10 years of disease data for 120 farms to the Cohen Commission.
The Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River continues this year starting up again on Monday 17th January. Hearings will run primarily Mondays through Thursdays and are scheduled from 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm each day. These hearings are open to the public and will be held at the Federal Court at 701 West Georgia Street, 8th floor. A
s topic and witness schedules are subject to change, media and the public are advised to consult the calendar on the commission's website, which will be updated regularly: http://www.cohencommission.ca/en/Schedule/
Follow on Facebook via ‘Salmon Inquiry – Cohen Commission Watch’: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=113025692098919
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Fish farms linked to sea lice infestations among wild sockeye
Researchers find young salmon migrating past operations in Discovery Islands, Broughton Archipelago pick up heavier load of parasites
By Stephen Hume, Vancouver Sun February 11, 2011 Scientists have linked sea lice infestations in Fraser River sockeye to salmon farms along their migration route.Photograph by: Les Bazso, PNG Files, Vancouver SunLike the bad smell that won't go away, another piece of research in the scientific jigsaw puzzle links British Columbia's salmon farms to sea lice infestations that affect migrating wild salmon.
This time the link is to the iconic wild sockeye stocks of the Fraser River.
Fraser River sockeye are the most important food and subsistence species for more than 40 aboriginal communities, the much-prized foundation for the province's most valuable commercial fishery and a growing target for sports anglers.
The study by scientists from the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University and several environmental organizations with an interest in salmon conservation used genetic analysis to determine the origin of sockeye from Canada's two most important salmon rivers, the Fraser and the Skeena.
Skeena River sockeye smolts migrate through waters where there are no net cage salmon farms, so it served as a control.
Migrating Fraser River sockeye smolts, on the other hand, must run a gauntlet of fish farms scattered among the islands that choke the narrows between Vancouver Island and the mainland north of Campbell River.
The scientists found that Fraser River sockeye passing salmon farms in the Discovery Islands and Broughton Archipelago picked up a heavier load of sea lice than Skeena River fish migrating through waters where there were no salmon farms.
How important is this discovery?
"It's quite important," says Mike Price, a graduate student at UVic who is one of the researchers. "It indicates that fish farms are a source of one potentially lethal pathogen for migrating sockeye smolts. Is this an indicator for other pathogens? Like most scientific research, ours generates more questions than answers."
But the research paper, Sea Louse Infection of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon in Relation to Marine Salmon Farms on Canada's West Coast, published Tuesday in PloS One, a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal of the Public Library of Science, is the first to demonstrate clearly the potential role of salmon farms in transmitting sea lice to juvenile sockeye salmon.
Sea lice comprise several species of a naturally occurring parasite that preys upon salmon and other fish. The impact of sea lice is mitigated in the wild by the wide dispersal of fish. However, in the massed schools of salmon kept in net cages throughout their life cycle, sea lice populations can explode.
Fish farmers use potent chemicals to control sea lice infestations in their livestock.
Critics of the industry complain that by creating concentrations of sea lice in fish farm pens and the adjacent waters, migrating wild salmon -particularly immature smolts -that pass close by can pick up lethal loads of the parasite in transit.
This research appears to lend weight to that concern.
"The rapid growth of marine salmon farms over the past two decades has increased host abundance for pathogenic sea lice in coast waters, and wild juvenile salmon swimming past farms are frequently infected with lice," the paper says.
It found that juvenile sockeye from the Skeena and swimming through waters free of fish farms carried far fewer sea lice than those from the Fraser sampled on the south coast and swimming past the 18 fish farms operating in the Discovery Islands just north of Campbell River.
Furthermore, the species of sea lice found on specimens captured by the researchers appeared to match the changes in prevalence and proportion of sea lice common at the fish farms they were passing.
The researchers concluded that position relative to salmon farms best explained the relative abundance of the different species of parasite on various specimens.
"Our genetics results demonstrate a major migration corridor past farms for fish that originated in the Fraser River," the paper says. "Our evidence suggests that salmon farms are elevating parasite levels on Fraser River sockeye during their critical early marine migration."
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Fish+farms+linked+lice+infestations+among+wild+sockeye/4263995/story.html#ixzz1DiNTJ5cw
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Please find enclosed a press update including:
"The Slippery Business of Picking Fish: Sure, We're Told to Eat More Fish,
but Just Try to Make Sense of the Many Definitions of 'Sustainable'" (Wall
Street Journal, 2nd March):
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704615504576172292781589156.ht
ml?mod=googlenews_wsj
"Awards celebrate aquaculture excellence" (The Fish Site, 2nd March):
http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/14338/awards-celebrate-aquaculture-excel
lence
"Mainstream best in Canada: But Marine Harvest makes more money on higher
volumes in 2010. And all parent companies report record-breaking results"
(Fish Farming Xpert, 1st March):
http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76
<http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=90964>
&article_id=90964
"Licence to Kill - Salmon Farmers in Firing Line During 2011 Scottish
Slaughter of Seals" (GAAIA, 1st March):
http://www.gaaia.org/blog/licence-kill-salmon-farmers-firing-line-during-201
1-scottish-slaughter-seals
"Bald Eagles Starving After Poor Salmon Run: Bears also impacted" (The Epoch
Times, 28th February):
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/bald-eagles-starving-after-poor-salmon
-run-52125.html
"Closed containment technology takes centre stage at the 9th annual Seafood
Summit" (Farmed & Dangerous, 28th February): www.farmedanddangerous.org
"Aquaculture awards night in Canada" (Fish Farming Xpert, 28th February):
http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76
<http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=90957>
&article_id=90957
"Frankenfish poised for stealth entry as entree" (The Seward Phoenix, 28th
February):
http://thesewardphoenixlog.com/article/1109frankenfish_poised_for_stealth_en
try_as
"Grass-Fed Fish?
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/a-new-approach-to-fish-farming-
_b_827801.html> " (The Huffington Post, 26th February):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/a-new-approach-to-fish-farming-_
b_827801.html?ir=Green
"The Devious Language of Doublespeak" (The Courier-Islander, 25th February):
http://www.canada.com/Devious+Language+Doublespeak/4343906/story.html
"Research linking increased parasite prevalence to farms paltry" (Marine
Harvest Canada, 25th February):
http://www.marineharvestcanada.com/blog/2011/02/25/research-linking-increase
d-parasite-prevalence-to-farms-paltry/
"DFO scientists not muzzled: DFO
<http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/politics/archive/2011/02/2
4/dfo-scientists-not-muzzled-dfo.aspx> " (The Vancouver Sun, 24th February):
http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/politics/archive/2011/02/24
/dfo-scientists-not-muzzled-dfo.aspx
"‘Boycott salmon’ over seal killings" (The Sun, 24th February):
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3432375/Boycott-salmon-over-se
al-killings.html
"Impacts of intensive salmon farming on coastal ecosystems" (Coastal Care,
22nd February):
http://coastalcare.org/2011/02/the-horrors-of-intensive-salmon-farming/
"Disasters in Ocean Aquaculture" (Food & Water Watch, February):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49566664/Disasters-in-Ocean-Aquaculture
-
http://www.canada.com/Devious+Language+Doublespeak/4343906/story.html (http://www.canada.com/Devious+Language+Doublespeak/4343906/story.html)
"One of the most devious and subtle forms of all doublespeak might be called the vacuous platitude, the bathing of incriminating evidence in saccharine terminology that denies by seeming to acknowledge, that rejects by seeming to agree, and that evades by seeming to encourage. BC's salmon farming industry has been a master of this form of doublespeak.
In the face of withering evidence that open net-pen feedlots transfer sea lice and disease to wild migrating salmon, the industry invariably meets every critical scientific study with an unshakable air of self-confidence. The latest example is its response to the damning evidence in Sea Louse Infection of Juvenile Sockeye in Relation to Marine Salmon Farms on Canada's West Coast (Courier- Islander, Feb. 11/11).
The industry professes its best efforts, welcomes the findings, points out other unlikely explanations, declares a kinship with wild salmon, and then encourages further studies.
Meanwhile, salmon farming carries on unchanged."
Sounds a bit like what some of the pro-salmon farming advocates have been posting here....... ::)
-
alwaysfishin, I’m one of those pro salmon farm advocates and you almost got me to take … but your leader was too short and the fly dragged a bit. Try again, mending your line ;)
-
alwaysfishin, I’m one of those pro salmon farm advocates and you almost got me to take … but your leader was too short and the fly dragged a bit. Try again, mending your line ;)
Can't catch them all...... even when you know they're out there. ;D
-
Please find enclosed a press update including:
"Study rules out usual suspects in decline of Fraser sockeye" (The Globe &
Mail, 11th March):
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/study-rules-ou
t-usual-suspects-in-decline-of-fraser-sockeye/article1937903/
"Cohen Inquiry Heats Up" (Superheroes 4 Salmon, 10th March):
http://www.superheroes4salmon.org/blog/cohen-inquiry-heats
"Cohen Inquiry Ramps up after cross examination from Alex Morton's lawyer"
(Salmon Are Sacred, 10th March):
http://salmonaresacred.org/blog/cohen-inquiry-ramps-after-cross-examination-
alex-mortons-lawyer
"Dangers of Aquafarmed fish: Do you know where your salmon really came
from?" (NBC News, 10th March):
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/Dangers-of-Aquafarmed-Fish--1176598
88.html
"Fish farming isn't all bad if you look at both sides" (Alberni Valley
Times, 10th March):
http://www2.canada.com/albernivalleytimes/news/opinion/story.html?id=53e3cf9
8-8c42-4530-be34-34bb4ea2f515
"Protein supplements 'provide firmer salmon fillets'" (Fish News EU, 10th
March):
http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/world/5400-protein-supplements-provide
-firmer-salmon-fillets.html
"Notes from the Cohen Inquiry" (Alexandra Morton, 9th March):
http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2011/03/notes-from-the-c
ohen-inquiry.html
"'Perfect storm' of virus and warming water threaten sockeye: scientist"
(The Tyee, 9th March):
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Environment/2011/03/09/Perfect-storm-of-viru
s-and-warming-water-threaten-sockeye/
"Lawmakers urge FDA to go slow on genetically modified salmon" (Washington
Post, 9th March):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/09/AR2011030900
960.html
"U.S. targeted EU on GM foods: WikiLeaks" (CBC News, 8th March):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/03/08/genetically-modified-food
.html
"Farmed salmon not 'dyed'" (Fish Farming Xpert, 7th March):
http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76
<http://www.fishfarmingxpert.com/index.php?page_id=76&article_id=91009>
&article_id=91009
"Genetically altered salmon spook Northwest lawmakers" (Miami Herald, 6th
March):
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/06/2098348/genetically-altered-salmon-spo
ok.html
"Opposing use of salmon farm pesticides" (Digby County Courier, 4th March):
http://www.digbycourier.ca/News/2011-03-04/article-2301138/Opposing-use-of-s
almon-farm-pesticides-/1
"Four types of superfoods can do wonders for seniors' health" (Tri Valley
Central, 3rd March):
http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2011/03/03/casa_grande_dispatch/val
ley_life/doc4d6fd0d3278cd720299144.txt
"NOAA <http://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/03/noaas-new-aquaculture-policy/> 's
new aquaculture policy" (Food Politics, 3rd March):
http://www.foodpolitics.com/2011/03/noaas-new-aquaculture-policy/
"Salmon under threat" (The Courier, 2nd March):
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Opinion/Readers-letters/article/11361/march-2-an
gus-battle-s-pivotal-role-in-scottish-history.html
Including from Mark Worthing reporting from the Cohen Commission in The
Tyee:
"The retrovirus that has been hypothesized to be a hybrid of known strains
of salmon leukemia or lymphoma, also what salmon farmers refer to as "Salmon
AIDS", has been suggested to be one of the single most important factors in
the loss of salmon populations"
The Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the
Fraser River continues this month until 17th March (breaking until 4th
April) - and is now extended by 13 months until June 2012. Hearings will
run primarily Mondays through Thursdays and are scheduled from 10 am to
12:30 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm each day. These hearings are open to the public
and will be held at the Federal Court at 701 West Georgia Street, 8th floor.
As topic and witness schedules are subject to change, media and the public
are advised to consult the calendar on the commission's website
<http://cohencommission.ca/en/Schedule/> , which will be updated regularly:
http://www.cohencommission.ca/en/Schedule/
Follow on Facebook via 'Salmon Inquiry - Cohen Commission Watch':
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=113025692098919
And via Salmon Are Sacred: http://www.salmonaresacred.org/cohen-commission