Court Case Won Against Salmon Farm Industry Abuses!

[steelmadness]

small margins....large losses due to disease...entire pens shut down due to disease (only to claim insurance from our government)..recorded disasters all over the world...."just think about it"... as you say....why would anyone in their right minds take the risk in OUR waters with our pristine ocean to allow your fish farms to pollute and spread disease and sea lice!!!...AND... oh yes...sea lice that are now somewhat immune to "Slice" and pose another great problem for you to deal with! Both the "slice" AND sea lice.
Alaska, where the last great runs of Salmon still thrive, will not let your farms in...how ***????? they won't take the risk...no matter what your propaganda says!!!! Right, or wrong???? You tell me why you are not allowed to introduce Fish Farms in Alaska???
You mention " Boots on the ground"
A friend who owns a restaurant just recently told me of soft flesh fish from your farms that were delivered to him, that he had to throw away.. not an unusual occurrence according to him....you would no doubt know the name of this not uncommon soft flesh disease...I can't remember the name(old age eh)..it has certainly come up before.
Bottom line.... those in the industry will continue to defend their livelihood no matter what.
Why would anyone expect differently

Somewhat immune to Slice. That's BS. Lice have very short life cycles, and salmon are harvested, how can you explain an immunity ? De-lice like Cylence has been used in livestock for at least 30 years, no immunity yet. 15 years of Slice, please. Dilution rates in the Pacific Ocean,please. Last great salmon runs in Alaska ? Your kinda out of the loop eh guy ? Ask a guide on the Kenai how business has been ! Alaska ranches salmon. Millions of salmon. Only difference is they are Pacific species, and have no pens..think containment farm compared to a grazing ranch, it's still fish farming,large schools of farm raised fish consuming tons of bio-mass. Boots on the ground means YOUR boots ! Farm salmon hits shelves within 48 hrs. If the customer has storage problems is that the industry's fault ? I'm not even a fish farmer lol. I don't see how an exploding demand for sea food will be met through wild stocks. I believe in aqua culture. Go on a tour, go to the processing plant in Browns Bay.

 

[GLG]

Somewhat immune to Slice. That's BS. Lice have very short life cycles, and salmon are harvested, how can you explain an immunity ? De-lice like Cylence has been used in livestock for at least 30 years, no immunity yet. 15 years of Slice, please.

Um I thought you were up on the research but apparently you missed that part.
http://aquaculturenorthamerica.com/...nts-more-successful-against-resistant-sea-_1/
Any more facts that you are missing?
Do you even know how they use slice on a fish farm?

 

[shuswap]

Dave makes a very valid point. How can federal salmon hatcheries be viewed any differently given the ruling on the regulations, the acceptance of the current science at the time by the judge, as well as the fact that PRV has been found in wild Pacific salmonids already? In my opinion, it is definitely not unreasonable to believe that hatchery broodstock would have PRV. You have to remove yourself from whether you agree or disagree with fish farming in BC and look at this objectively. It does not make sense to say that the feds can look at hatcheries as a separate problem and circumvent regulations that this ruling said they could not in this case. I would totally agree with “be careful about what you wish for”.

 

[shuswap]

Alaska, where the last great runs of Salmon still thrive, will not let your farms in...how ***????? they won't take the risk...no matter what your propaganda says!!!! Right, or wrong???? You tell me why you are not allowed to introduce Fish Farms in Alaska???

In 2013, ranched salmon accounted for 40% of the total commercial catch in Alaska. In fact, Alaska pumps out millions of ranched salmon (primarily pink) each year. Recent studies are looking more and more at competition from hatchery pinks from Alaska and Russia and their impact on wild stocks. If you look at Alaskan Chinook I would wager that you would not find many that would say they are thriving and abundant. The culprit is likely marine survival. Ranched salmon are not necessarily wrong, but they are not wild. The broodstock is chosen by humans, the fertilized eggs are raised in a hatchery, fed pellets, and raised in tanks before being reared for a short period of time in the ocean. So, although it is true that “fish farms” similar to those in BC are not in Alaska it is still involves the artificial propagation of juvenile salmon nonetheless.

 

[fogged in]

In 2013, ranched salmon accounted for 40% of the total commercial catch in Alaska. In fact, Alaska pumps out millions of ranched salmon (primarily pink) each year. Recent studies are looking more and more at competition from hatchery pinks from Alaska and Russia and their impact on wild stocks. If you look at Alaskan Chinook I would wager that you would not find many that would say they are thriving and abundant. The culprit is likely marine survival. Ranched salmon are not necessarily wrong, but they are not wild. The broodstock is chosen by humans, the fertilized eggs are raised in a hatchery, fed pellets, and raised in tanks before being reared for a short period of time in the ocean. So, although it is true that “fish farms” similar to those in BC are not in Alaska it is still involves the artificial propagation of juvenile salmon nonetheless.

I think you missed the point....what we are talking about are Fish Farms raising non native species. Specifically Atlantic Salmon and bringing in Atlantic Salmon smolts that they are aware are carrying disease.
Not to mention all that happens to those Pen kept salmon as they mature.
enough of this......I'm up early to go fishing

 

[shuswap]

I think you missed the point....what we are talking about are Fish Farms raising non native species. Specifically Atlantic Salmon and bringing in Atlantic Salmon smolts that they are aware are carrying disease.
Not to mention all that happens to those Pen kept salmon as they mature.
enough of this......I'm up early to go fishing

I don’t think I missed the point at all. You are talking about Alaska being “aquaculture-free” where the last great salmon runs thrive. Well, that’s not entirely true. Although there are differences, aquaculture is going on in Alaska and the impact of those ranched Pacific Salmon species (even if they are not Atlantic Salmon) on wild stocks is being seen in a much different light these days.

Bringing in Atlantic Salmon smolts that they are aware are carrying disease? If you are talking about the present case please show me where it was shown that these Atlantic Salmon smolts had HSMI and that industry vets and the feds knew about it. Just because these smolts had PRV is it reasonable to assume that they had HSMI given the science we know now? When I read the recent literature that would be a poor assumption.

 

[fogged in]

I don’t think I missed the point at all. You are talking about Alaska being “aquaculture-free” where the last great salmon runs thrive. Well, that’s not entirely true. Although there are differences, aquaculture is going on in Alaska and the impact of those ranched Pacific Salmon species (even if they are not Atlantic Salmon) on wild stocks is being seen in a much different light these days.

Bringing in Atlantic Salmon smolts that they are aware are carrying disease? If you are talking about the present case please show me where it was shown that these Atlantic Salmon smolts had HSMI and that industry vets and the feds knew about it. Just because these smolts had PRV is it reasonable to assume that they had HSMI given the science we know now? When I read the recent literature that would be a poor assumption.

I don't care what you call it, Marine Harvest has imported disease infected smolts.
Quote "March 2013, Marine Harvest transferred ~500,000 Atlantic salmon smolts known to be infected with piscine reovirus from their Dalrymple hatchery"
WHAT AM I DOING!!!! swore I would never get into a debate with you guys, cause no matter WHAT it just ends with a lot of double talk.....
Where did I say Alaska was “aquaculture-free”
We are talking about Atlantic Fish Farms. Do you have an example of a Atlantic Fish Farm in Alaska...bring it on cause I was told Alaska will NEVER allow your garbage into their waters!!!
I would be the first one to admit I am not an expert on this subject and it is complex for sure, but bottom line... Fish Farms past and present have had a terrible track record with disease!!!!
By the way....got a couple of hali early today and finished off with a couple of nice springs off Constance.

 

[GLG]

If the fish farms and some members here are so confident that they are doing no harm then let them appeal their conviction. Till then, that side has 4 months to clean up it's act.

As for that other study by Dr. Marty.... I don't have the paper because it's subscription only. Why don't the fish farms pony up and pay for it to be open access? However that doesn't stop me from looking at the data.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfd.12285/suppinfo

Love to see you bring that to court..... LOL
I guess we will see if they appeal and use this paper as "new evidence" and the XLS data to back it, to make their case. Some how I have a feeling, from looking at the data, they wont be going back to court.

I'm sure hoping that 2015 looks like it's going to be known as the year that everything changed.

 

[seascene]

I don't care what you call it, Marine Harvest has imported disease infected smolts.
Quote "March 2013, Marine Harvest transferred ~500,000 Atlantic salmon smolts known to be infected with piscine reovirus from their Dalrymple hatchery"
WHAT AM I DOING!!!! swore I would never get into a debate with you guys, cause no matter WHAT it just ends with a lot of double talk.....
Where did I say Alaska was “aquaculture-free”
We are talking about Atlantic Fish Farms. Do you have an example of a Atlantic Fish Farm in Alaska...bring it on cause I was told Alaska will NEVER allow your garbage into their waters!!!
I would be the first one to admit I am not an expert on this subject and it is complex for sure, but bottom line... Fish Farms past and present have had a terrible track record with disease!!!!
By the way....got a couple of hali early today and finished off with a couple of nice springs off Constance.

Nice post .... well said. A professional diver friend quit working in this dirty fish business because he was disgusted with hauling dead salmon out of pens not to mention the polluted, lifeless surrounding waters. He also mentioned a very disagreeable chemical odour in the water inside and outside the pens he had to work in. This should be a police matter to investigate corruption in the issuing of permits to a foreign owned corporation that is playing Russian roulette with nature in our BC waters. The industrialization of this pristine coast to enrich a small group of foreigners is criminal. We allow it at the cost of our generation to be thoroughly detested by the kids being born today who will inherit a wasteland. If given a chance, wild stocks can be rebuilt to the incalculable abundance of the past. Just one female salmon can carry up to 7500 eggs. Millions of wild salmon can swamp the production of this poisonous fish farm disaster. The court decision is the result of a growing human awareness that to move forward we must step back to nature's awesome capabilities..it is possible.

 

[fogged in]

Nice post .... well said. A professional diver friend quit working in this dirty fish business because he was disgusted with hauling dead salmon out of pens not to mention the polluted, lifeless surrounding waters. He also mentioned a very disagreeable chemical odour in the water inside and outside the pens he had to work in. This should be a police matter to investigate corruption in the issuing of permits to a foreign owned corporation that is playing Russian roulette with nature in our BC waters. The industrialization of this pristine coast to enrich a small group of foreigners is criminal. We allow it at the cost of our generation to be thoroughly detested by the kids being born today who will inherit a wasteland. If given a chance, wild stocks can be rebuilt to the incalculable abundance of the past. Just one female salmon can carry up to 7500 eggs. Millions of wild salmon can swamp the production of this poisonous fish farm disaster. The court decision is the result of a growing human awareness that to move forward we must step back to nature's awesome capabilities..it is possible.

thanks Seascene....
wonder what the Fish Farm guys will post next.
With them it's really about smoke and mirrors
No sense responding as they have all the answers. Hope this court case will help turn the tide
thank goodness for Alex Morton!!!

 

[shuswap]

I don't care what you call it, Marine Harvest has imported disease infected smolts.
Quote "March 2013, Marine Harvest transferred ~500,000 Atlantic salmon smolts known to be infected with piscine reovirus from their Dalrymple hatchery"
WHAT AM I DOING!!!! swore I would never get into a debate with you guys, cause no matter WHAT it just ends with a lot of double talk.....
Where did I say Alaska was “aquaculture-free”
We are talking about Atlantic Fish Farms. Do you have an example of a Atlantic Fish Farm in Alaska...bring it on cause I was told Alaska will NEVER allow your garbage into their waters!!!
I would be the first one to admit I am not an expert on this subject and it is complex for sure, but bottom line... Fish Farms past and present have had a terrible track record with disease!!!!
By the way....got a couple of hali early today and finished off with a couple of nice springs off Constance.

You do not understand the difference between a virus and a disease. Infected with a virus does not necessarily equate to having a disease. Wild Pacific salmonids already have endemic viruses but do not necessarily develop disease because of it. You don’t have to take my word for it – talk to any fish health professional.

I never said that there were Atlantic Salmon farms in Alaska. I was merely stating that aquaculture to some degree does exist in Alaska, ranch salmon are not seen as benign as they once were, and that runs in Alaska are not as thriving as you suggest.

Never allow “your” garbage into their waters? Well, for one thing I don’t work for the BC fish farm industry. I see how this thread is going now (i.e. labeling of members) so I will let you guys continue to label uncontested. It appears that some here are more focused on holding onto their beliefs rather than considering any other opinion or new science.

Good to see you had a good day on the water.

 

[fish4all]

i would take ocean ranching over atlantic fish farms in a heart beat.

 

[GLG]

So the argument here seems to be "if this new evidence would have been seen by the court, then things would have turned out differently" That might be true if this "new evidence" was A) not presented to the court and B) that the evidence was persuasive to show that PRV was not the virus connected to HSMI or is PRV harmless to wild stocks. I think that is the position that our "friends of fish farms" are arguing in this thread. If I'm wrong in this, do let me know. So let's start with A) not presented in court...... I did some digging and found this on Marine Harvest Website.

June 17, 2014 - Vancouver, BC - From June 9 to 13, 2014, Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) provided the Federal Court of Canada with information resulting from significant new research confirming the company's salmon are not a risk to wild salmon or consumers. Responding to a legal challenge initiated by Alexandra Morton against the Minister of Fisheries and MHC, the company provided the Court with evidence including fish health data which refuted the allegations made by Ms. Morton showing them as clearly erroneous and scientifically baseless.
The legal challenge - which questions the authority of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to allow the company to transfer fish from its facilities - includes allegations that the piscine reovirus (PRV) is linked to Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI), and suggests that the latter is present in MHC's farm-raised Atlantic salmon. MHC provided the Court with independent third party evidence that confirms PRV occurs naturally in wild fish in the Pacific Northwest, predates the start of B.C. salmon farming operations, does not compromise fish health in the farms of MHC or in farmed or wild salmon in B.C. in general, and is not associated with HSMI. Furthermore, HSMI has not been found in any fish (farmed or wild) in the Pacific Northwest despite extensive testing.
"While the court would have been within its right to dismiss this case due to lack of evidence brought forth by the applicant, Marine Harvest wanted the case to proceed to set the record straight," says Vincent Erenst, Managing Director at MHC. "Since these allegations were made, we've commissioned a significant amount of independent research confirming our fish are healthy."
Proceedings were completed on June 13, 2014. Mr. Justice Rennie will rule on the authority of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to authorize B.C.'s salmon aquaculture facilities to transfer fish from one site to another in the coming months.
Marine Harvest Canada is British Columbia's leading aquaculture company and supplier of Sterling brand salmon, producing 40,000 tonnes of fresh farm-raised salmon at sites on and around Vancouver Island.
Media contact: Ian Roberts, Communications Manager 250-850-3276 (7256)
http://www.marineharvest.ca/about/news-and-media/container/june-17-2014/

Well that confirms that yes this new evidence that the "friends of fish farms" are arguing did in fact get to the court. So when it comes to argument A) "friends of fish farms" your coming up short.

Now for argument B) Was the evidence persuasive that no PRV / HSMI connection or no harms to wild fish? Since the courts did see the evidence and was not convinced by this "new evidence" then I would have to say that "friends of fish farms" you lose again.

Take heart "friends of fish farms" because you won too or at least that seems to be the case when you read the press release from Marine Harvest.

Court decision provides legal clarity for Marine Harvest Canada

<section style="box-sizing: border-box;"></section><section style="box-sizing: border-box;">May 7, 2015 – Campbell River, B.C.:
A recent decision of the Federal Court involving British Columbia's largest salmon aquaculture company, Marine Harvest Canada, confirms its legal right to transport healthy salmon to and from its coastal BC operations.
The lawsuit, initiated in May 2013 by anti-salmon farming activist Alexandra Morton, challenged the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ authority to allow Marine Harvest to transfer salmon from freshwater hatcheries to ocean-based farms. It also questioned the health of salmon transferred by Marine Harvest in March 2013.There was no evidence that Marine Harvest transferred unhealthy fish. The company notes that the decision removes two sub-conditions of the aquaculture license that were not relied upon for the company’s day to day business. Further, the decision confirms authorization by the Minister for the ongoing transfer of farm-raised salmon between facilities in BC.
Marine Harvest Canada is Canada’s leading supplier of Atlantic farm-raised salmon and the only North American source of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified salmon. It’s processing plants, marine and land based operations are located on and around northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Media contact: Clare Backman, Director of Public Affairs - 250-850-3276 (7258)

So their saying they have a legal right to transport healthy fish but what about the PRV infected fish. I think the court is clear on that one and the answer is no....
Talk about spin......

What I would like to know is what are the plans now.... If i was an investor (I'm not) I sure would like to know. </section><section style="box-sizing: border-box;">
</section>

 

[GLG]

http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/wo...11&id=76389&l=e&country=0&special=&ndb=1&df=0


Court ruling protects BC wild salmon

Monday, May 11, 2015, 01:50 (GMT + 9)
Federal Court abolished the conditions set in aquaculture licensing rules allowing fish farms to transfer diseased fish into open ocean pens, which was welcomed by BC wild salmon campaigners.
In a release sent to FIS.com, Ecojustice explains that the lawsuit was filed in 2013 by biologist Alexandra Morton and the non-government organisation after the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) allowed fish farm company Marine Harvest to make its own decisions surrounding the transfer of farmed fish carrying viruses that may harm wild salmon, into open ocean pens.
At that time, piscine reovirus (PRV) was found in fish held in Marine Harvest's Dalrymple hatchery, on the migration route of Fraser River sockeye.
According to the NGO's statements, those opposing the ministry’s action argued that federal aquaculture licensing was inconsistent with the law protecting wild fish and the marine environment.
"This was a reckless practice that put wild salmon at risk by exposing them to potentially dangerous disease agents," pointed out Morton.
And the biologist also claimed: "It cannot be left to these companies to decide whether putting farmed fish carrying viruses into the ocean environment is safe."
After the court ruling declared specific licensing regulation is invalid, the DFO stated that as many as 120 licenses, due to expire at the end of the year, could be affectedby the invalidated regulations.
Meanwhile, a Marine Harvest spokesperson ensured it had never transferred unhealthy fish and ensured the voided clauses aren’t important to company operations, The Canadian Press informed.
The firm’s representatives claimed the company provided evidence to court of the presence of PRV along the BC coast existing long before salmon farms and also claimed it is naturally occurring and not linked to any disease at all.
On the other hand, the DFO website states that examination of hundreds of fish has found no evidence to date of the disease in wild or farmed fish along the coast.
“Common sense, experience from around the globe, and the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence all tell us that putting farmed fish carrying viruses in close proximity to healthy wild fish is a bad idea. “We need to err on the side of caution when it comes to protecting wild fish, and I am delighted that the Court agrees,” Morton concluded.


editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

 

[fogged in]

great post GLG as have been all your other posts on this subject.
we are lucky to have knowledgeable people such as your self doing their best to follow all the information that comes out regarding Atlantic Fish Farms.
Yes, regardless of the spin, why would we be foolish enough to take the risks given the track record world wide of Atlantic Fish Farms???
simple question...
why is the answer so hard to find!

 

[seascene]

great post GLG as have been all your other posts on this subject.
we are lucky to have knowledgeable people such as your self doing their best to follow all the information that comes out regarding Atlantic Fish Farms.
Yes, regardless of the spin, why would we be foolish enough to take the risks given the track record world wide of Atlantic Fish Farms???
simple question...
why is the answer so hard to find!

Let me just echo your post FI. Great work GLG. However, "money never sleeps". Our kids deserve the pleasures and wonder of this BC coast we took for granted for most of our lives. That illusion no longer exists. Whatever is presently left of that which flies, swims, grows, flows, or can be dug up and there is money in selling it better "run" for the logged out hills. The exponentially accelerating global human mass is a wrecking ball of infinite consumption on a finite planet and that dog just don't hunt.

 

[cuttlefish]

Dave makes a very valid point. How can federal salmon hatcheries be viewed any differently given the ruling on the regulations, the acceptance of the current science at the time by the judge, as well as the fact that PRV has been found in wild Pacific salmonids already? In my opinion, it is definitely not unreasonable to believe that hatchery broodstock would have PRV. You have to remove yourself from whether you agree or disagree with fish farming in BC and look at this objectively. It does not make sense to say that the feds can look at hatcheries as a separate problem and circumvent regulations that this ruling said they could not in this case. I would totally agree with “be careful about what you wish for”.

A valid point indeed if the conditions for the two licences (marine finfish aquaculture and enhancement facilities) were the same which they are not.
The Minister delegates the decision to transfer fish from a licenced enhancement facility to a fish health veterinarian on staff with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, not on staff with the enhancement facility.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Thanks for your research on this GLG, yet another example of misinformation and spin doctoring by multi-national corporate interests in bed with our Govt. Shameful and disgusting IMHO. All the more reason we must continue to work to get these polluting, disease spreading feedlots out of our waters and on to land to better manage their negative impacts. Please keep up the good work GLG - it is very much needed and appreciated!!!

 

[Cuba Libre]

A bit off topic-- but still related to this thread. Costco in Courtenay is not happy with just selling fillets of Alantic salmon from Norway..... they are now carrying IRISH Atlantics...... but we dont have to worry about disease transference. "Trust us" the farmers say. Ya right........

 

[OldBlackDog]

He ruled that DFO is abdicating its legal responsibility to protect and conserve wild fish by handing off decisions about transferring fish with diseases to the salmon farming industry [83].
Most BC farmed salmon are infected with piscine reovirus. Many scientists in Norway have published research showing that piscine reovirus causes the disease, HSMI, which is known to damage salmon hearts to the point that fish can barely move.

WE owe this to one person who has never let it go.
Ms. Morton never dropped this and we owe her for this.
DFO has been shown to not give a **** as noted.