“In the same way that open-pen salmon feedlots can become parasite-generating factories, they can also become disease generating centers. Diseases such as Salmon Leukemia Virus (SLV), Piscene Rheovirus (PRV), and Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) are serious notifiable diseases of salmonid (salmon, trout, char) fishes. The latter was first detected in Norway in 1984 and has subsequently spread to New Brunswick (1996), Scotland (1998), Chile (1990's), British Columbia (2011), and Newfoundland and Labrador (2012). An outbreak in Chile in 2007 caused $2 billion of damage to the salmon farming industry.” - Christopher Majka
Although they (Kibenge, Nylund, Gagné, and Miller) did not agree on whether ISAv or an ISAv-like virus was present, all agreed that more research was necessary and that, whether ISAv is present or not, there had been no confirmation of ISA in any of the Pacific salmon tested by the time of the December hearings. As stated in Volume 1, Chapter 9, Fish health management, I find that the evidence does not allow me to conclude whether ISAv or an ISAv-like virus currently exists in Fraser River sockeye. However, I accept the opinion of the expert panel (Dr. Kibenge, Dr. Nylund, Ms. Gagné, and Dr. Miller) that, as of December 2011, there was no evidence that fish tested for ISAv (the virus) suffered from ISA (the disease) as that disease was then understood.” – Justice Bruce Cohen; The Uncertain Future of Fraser River Sockeye; Volume 2; Chapter 4; Decline-related evidence; pg 60.
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“There are inevitably escapes of farmed salmon into the wild. The impact of these can be varied. Atlantic Salmon are, as their name suggests, native to the north Atlantic. They are now being farmed extensively in British Columbia and Chile in the Pacific Ocean. What happens when such fish escape? Can they establish themselves? Will they compete with native salmon species? Hybridize with them? Will they have other ecological impacts?” – Christopher Majka
In regards to Fraser Sockeye this is a few quotes from the Cohen Report and Technical Report 5A:
I also accept their (Dr. Dill and Dr. Noakes) evidence that escaped Atlantic salmon are unlikely to have any impact on Fraser River sockeye given that they are not spawning in streams frequented by sockeye and are not competing with sockeye for food. - Justice Bruce Cohen; The Uncertain Future of Fraser River Sockeye; Volume 2; Chapter 5; Findings; Pg 113.
An average of 30,000 Atlantic salmon have escaped from salmon farms or juvenile production facilities annually between 1991 and 2008. Only 33 Atlantic salmon escapes have been caught or sighted in the Fraser River drainage, and there is no documented evidence of reproduction in this system. – Josh Korman; Summary of information for evaluating impacts of salmon farms on survival of Fraser River sockeye salmon. Cohen Commission Tech. Rept. 5A; Page 9.
Christopher Majka is a biologist, environmentalist, policy analyst, and arts advocate. He conducts research on the ecology and biodiversity of beetles. He is a research associate of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-NS and a member of the Project Democracy Team.