B.C. oysters now linked to dozens of norovirus cases in several U.S. states
- Thread starter wildmanyeah
- Start date
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Thought that a notice just came out about S—T in the water? Area 14.
pacemaker
Well-Known Member
About a month or so ago I got sick from eating raw oysters which I had purchased fresh from one of the big outfits in Fanny Bay. Hollleee was I sick, it was truly violent!! It was a highly effective weight reduction program, but not one that I really recommend!! At that time, I knew exactly what the source of my sickness was, notified the various authorities and even took the remaining fresh oysters to them for analysis as I was instructed to do. I never heard back from anybody in that regards. Now it's a major outbreak. I feel really bad for those people who were also affected. I have eaten raw oysters many times in the 40+ years that I have been on the coast, but never again.
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Being as this is a HUGE part of the economy in Baynes Sound, one might assume that they really monitored the water and the stock.
Obviously that is now shown to be false.
Pretty sad.
hippaisland
Well-Known Member
Ha! Your not wrong. Picked up a few dozen at $1/piece. They were delicious. Thankfully didn’t get sick!
I understand that cooking Oysters to well done may kill the Norovirus. Wash your hands good. Don't think I will eat them raw anymore. I also understand that it is highly contagious once you get it, so you can give it to your friends and family. Some Canucks have/had it recently, and once it gets going on a cruise ship, your cruise vacation fun factor is reduced. I have lots of hand sanitizer from fighting Covid, so perhaps it is a good time to step up its use.
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
Please clarify exactly who the authorities were that you reported this to, and exactly to whom you dropped the samples off to.
Many Thanks!
Matt
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
Funny, I thought this was 2022, not 2018...
What I find "funny" is a self-proclaimed fisherman whom doesnt recognize patterns. I guess they do exist. Like sasquashes. I doubt if that makes one a better fisherman.
March/April is herring season. The only spot on the coast open was SoG and specifically here. They've had systemic problems in the past with the 2 intersecting - no toilets and the herring fleet intersecting on an area that cultures oysters and other shellfish in Baynes Sound. That is outlined in the document from the relevant authorities using a thing called science.
Any time you wish to post what authorities were that you reported your alternative hypothesis to, and exactly to whom you dropped your samples off to - fill your boots ol' son. Maybe post your science that negates the work they did in the report above while you are at it.
March/April is herring season. The only spot on the coast open was SoG and specifically here. They've had systemic problems in the past with the 2 intersecting - no toilets and the herring fleet intersecting on an area that cultures oysters and other shellfish in Baynes Sound. That is outlined in the document from the relevant authorities using a thing called science.
Any time you wish to post what authorities were that you reported your alternative hypothesis to, and exactly to whom you dropped your samples off to - fill your boots ol' son. Maybe post your science that negates the work they did in the report above while you are at it.
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OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
So, you got the report from DFO about the spill of S—T in Comox area and that is why they closed the area to Oysters?
My understanding is the spill was from the land base, not from ships.
Taken from the article,
NOTE, Four food recalls were issued in Canada between February and March with retailers and restaurants told not to serve or sell the oysters, and the CDC has extended that advice to U.S. restaurants and fish shops.
February is not Herring month.
From your scientific report,
Water quality sampling in early March 2018 by ECCC found no coliform levels of concern in the shellfish harvesting areas implicated. However, current marine water quality testing methods are based on detection of coliforms that in marine water have been found to be poor indicators of viral and fecal bacteria. Coliform tests should have but did not verify fecal loading from the presence of marine mammals that were sighted in shellfish areas. While a positive coliform indicates the presence of fecal contamination, a negative or non-detected coliform test result does not necessarily mean there was an absence of contamination. No other data sources assessing water quality were available for review. This limitation means it is not possible to verify whether environmental sewage sources assessed as more likely (commercial fishing vessels) or less likely (such as septic leaks from foreshore homes, vessels near shellfish farms, or other existing sewage sources) were actively contributing contamination during the period leading up to the illnesses
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SpringFever552
Well-Known Member
Most if not all locals know the runoff from rains into Baynes Sound compounded with all the failing septic systems spells disaster, has been like this for yrs!
Thanks for being open to critically anaylse things, OBD. Quotes from the BCCDC article:
Similar to the 2016/17 outbreak, illnesses occurred in multiple restaurants, which were traced back to multiple processors. There was no common restaurant nor processor identified through illness trace back to suggest norovirus contamination originated at any of those premises.
Less likely sources of environmental contamination included (1) the local sewage treatment facility; (2) septic seepage sources; (3) reported discharges or spills from waste water treatment plants (WWTP) in the area; (4) animal sources, and (5) float-homes and live-aboard vessels.
septic seepage sources
As seepage from these sources, if present, are likely to be continuous, given the time lapse between heavy precipitation event in January and the first occurrence of illnesses in mid-March the dispersion from potentially failing septic fields, other community sewage sources and overflows were therefore deemed less likely to be of concern.
Commercial fishing vessels anchoring in proximity to shellfish farms in this area were evaluated as a plausible source of localized contamination. Further investigations found several supporting pieces of evidence to suggest fishing vessels as sources: (1) proximity and duration of anchoring adjacent to shellfish harvest sites subsequently closed; (2) lack of use of pump-out stations by vessels; and (3) vessel survey responses.
Similar to the 2016/17 outbreak, illnesses occurred in multiple restaurants, which were traced back to multiple processors. There was no common restaurant nor processor identified through illness trace back to suggest norovirus contamination originated at any of those premises.
Less likely sources of environmental contamination included (1) the local sewage treatment facility; (2) septic seepage sources; (3) reported discharges or spills from waste water treatment plants (WWTP) in the area; (4) animal sources, and (5) float-homes and live-aboard vessels.
septic seepage sources
As seepage from these sources, if present, are likely to be continuous, given the time lapse between heavy precipitation event in January and the first occurrence of illnesses in mid-March the dispersion from potentially failing septic fields, other community sewage sources and overflows were therefore deemed less likely to be of concern.
Commercial fishing vessels anchoring in proximity to shellfish farms in this area were evaluated as a plausible source of localized contamination. Further investigations found several supporting pieces of evidence to suggest fishing vessels as sources: (1) proximity and duration of anchoring adjacent to shellfish harvest sites subsequently closed; (2) lack of use of pump-out stations by vessels; and (3) vessel survey responses.
Attachments
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
DATE: February 22, 2022
STRAIT OF GEORGIA
AREA 14
Shelter Pt to Cape Lazo-------Not assessed
E.C. Denman Island------------Feb 22: 11,000 tons
Test: Feb 22 on 300 tons in Horseshoe. 7.2%;18.3cm; 69.0m:44.7f; 27-6-11-0-0; (26.1:88.0).
Lambert Ch. to Chrome Is------Feb 21: 800 tons
E.C. Hornby Is----------------Not assessed
Tribune Bay/Lower Hornby------Not assessed
Upper Baynes Sd---------------Not assessed
Lower Baynes Sd---------------Not assessed
Mapleguard to Nile Cr---------Feb 21: 800 tons
Nile Creek to French Cr-------Not assessed
French Cr to NW Bay------------Feb 21: 13,500 tons
Total Area 14: Not Assessed
taken from your reply, March/April is herring season.
This limitation means it is not possible to verify whether environmental sewage sources assessed as more likely (commercial fishing vessels) or less likely (such as septic leaks from foreshore homes, vessels near shellfish farms, or other existing sewage sources) were actively contributing contamination during the period leading up to the illnesses
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OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
One would think that with the millions of dollars that this area creates that the Government and Private sectors would have stations set up to measure the water on an hourly basis?
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
no they need to move it to land obviously
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
And remember, the oysters they are raising are not native to BC.
By doing this they have basically wiped out the native stock.
One might ask why these native oysters are not rated as endangered and listed with SARA?
Where are the Greens on this? Where is the Province on his?
Right, it is all about money!
I believe your assumption/assertion is correct, OBD. Given the current lack of monitoring and lack of co-ordination between all the federal and provincial regulators/regulations/testing - one cannot definitively say what the cause was.
However, as pointed-out in the BCCDC article - one can define the most likely source by ranking likelihoods. And that was the reason for my assertion in post #9.
In addition, I have no idea of how they might test for norovirus in the water in real time (PCR?, eDNA? SourceTracker?) - but would take some planning, co-ordination & $ to do so.
BUT... testing for indicator organisms for sewerage in marine waters has been done for years, and E. coli is actually a poor indicator organism for the job for testing in marine verses freshwater environment. Instead, enterococci is the recommended indicator organism for marine waters:
www.canada.ca
However, as pointed-out in the BCCDC article - one can define the most likely source by ranking likelihoods. And that was the reason for my assertion in post #9.
In addition, I have no idea of how they might test for norovirus in the water in real time (PCR?, eDNA? SourceTracker?) - but would take some planning, co-ordination & $ to do so.
BUT... testing for indicator organisms for sewerage in marine waters has been done for years, and E. coli is actually a poor indicator organism for the job for testing in marine verses freshwater environment. Instead, enterococci is the recommended indicator organism for marine waters:
Recreational water quality and health: Overview - Canada.ca
Learn about what recreational bodies of water are, who’s responsible for them, and the different types of activities.
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