Fraser Sockeye & fish farm sea-lice...

[Little Hawk]

When Dr. Craig Orr puts his stamp on something, I sit up and take notice. Met him at a salmon farming conference and he is one highly competent scientist who is passionate about saving our wildlife...


NEWS RELEASE: February 9, 2011 (press embargo ending at 2 p.m. PST on Tuesday, Feb 8th)

New research shows sea lice from salmon farms infect Fraser River sockeye salmon

Sidney, B.C. - A new study published yesterday in the journal Public Library of Science ONE by researchers from Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, and the Universities of Victoria and Simon Fraser provides the first link between salmon farms and elevated levels of sea lice on juvenile Fraser River sockeye salmon.


The article, Sea Louse Infection of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon in Relation to Marine Salmon Farms on Canada's West Coast, genetically identified 30 distinct stocks of infected Fraser sockeye that pass by open net-pen salmon farms in the Strait of Georgia, including the endangered Cultus Lake stock. The study found that parasitism of Fraser sockeye increased significantly after the juvenile fish passed by fish farms. These same species of lice were found in substantial numbers on the salmon farms.

Not only did juvenile Fraser sockeye host higher lice levels in the Georgia Strait after they passed salmon farms, these fish hosted an order of magnitude more sea lice than Skeena and Nass River sockeye that migrated along the north coast where there are no farms.

"The implications of these infections are not fully clear, but in addition to any direct physical and behavioural impacts on juvenile sockeye, sea lice may also serve as vectors of disease or indicators of other farm-origin pathogens" said Michael Price, lead author.

The data further showed that the differences in infection level for one species of louse in relation to fish farm exposure could not be explained by differences in salinity or temperature.

"Given the high intensities of lice observed on some juveniles in this study-up to 28 lice/fish- there's an urgent need to understand the extent of threat posed by sea lice to juvenile Fraser River sockeye" said Dr. Craig Orr, a co-author of the study.

The study also recorded the highest lice levels on juvenile sockeye near a farmed salmon processing plant in the Georgia Strait, heightening concern for the full potential impact of the salmon farm industry on wild salmon in this region.

Sea lice from salmon farms are likely another stressor for sockeye already subjected to multiple human impacts. Importantly, however, risks to juvenile sockeye from open net-pen salmon farms can be much more easily mitigated than changes to ocean conditions from climate change and ocean acidification. Options already recommended include removal of farm salmon from the migration routes of juvenile sockeye, and transition of salmon farms to closed-containment facilities.

Sea Louse Infection of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon in Relation to Marine Salmon Farms on Canada's West Coast list of authors: Canada's West Coast list of authors:

Michael HH Price1,2, Stan L Proboszcz3, Rick D Routledge4, Allen S Gottesfeld5, Craig Orr3, John D Reynolds4

1 Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
2 Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Sidney, BC, Canada
3 Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Coquitlam, BC, Canada
4 Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
5 Skeena Fisheries Commission, Hazelton, BC, Canada

 

[Fish-Hunter]

Little Hawk, you sit up and take notice when a reputable person makes a statement or a finding,,,, but will DFO?

When the hell are these effin bozos going to yank ther goddamned heads out of their ACES and start to do their job - manage and preserve our resource, not sit back and watch it fade into extinction. The stupidity and lack of common sense that comes from the DFO really makes my head feel like it is going to EXPLODE!!!! After a while you start to get the feeling that they just really don't give a ***** what the rest of us think.

 

[searun]

Little Hawk, you sit up and take notice when a reputable person makes a statement or a finding,,,, but will DFO?

:

DFO also said the earth is flat and if we venture too far off shore looking for Halis we will fall off the edge of the earth...I believe em...they seem like trustworthy chaps with a strong sense of logic and reliance on proven science...so if they say the earth is flat, its flat all right. You guys are so gullible, don't believe that junk science. After all what do a few independently minded highly credible non-gov't scientist know.

geez

 

[cuttlefish]

The folks that did this independant study are probably the only ones who have samples of young Fraser sockeye from 2007 & 2008, sorted by before and after the farms.

One way for DFO to show they take this new study seriously is if they test these same young sockeye for the genetic marker for the mysterious new virus found in adult FR sockeye that returned in 2006. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/mysterious-infection-is-killing-bc-salmon/article1869440/

I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Little Hawk]

Their days are numbered on our Coast. Best case scenario for me is when the day comes that all the collusive politicians who've been bought by the industry will be exposed for the world to see.

 

[sockeyefry2]

Little Hawk

How was the record numbers of sockeye returning this year explained with regard to the fish farm lice infections? If the sockeye are going to be made extinct by lice from farms, how was the record run last summer explained.

Any study that includes researchers from NGO's which are anti fish farming as well as researchers for the BC SGA I take with a grain of salt. Both have agendas to advance, and their research is biased toward their agendas.

Don't you find it funny that all research done by anti fish farm groups concludes farms are bad and all research by pro groups finds farms have no impact?

 

[rico]

Okay sockeye, what about the studies that are paid for by the fish farm industry? Like the one that came out about a month ago saying that there is no relationship between fish farms and lice? We all, even you know thats BS!

 

[sockeyefry2]

Hey Rico Read my post again.

Holmes, Just stop and think: If the farms are a constant, then they have a constant impact. If there are variances (anomalies if you will) then they must be the result of some other factors. I will gaurantee you if you blame the last few poor runs solely on the fish farms you are putting your head in the sand and possibly ignoring a bigger factor that will cause the demise of the runs even if you remove the farms.

 

[fish4all]

Hey Rico Read my post again.

Holmes, Just stop and think: If the farms are a constant, then they have a constant impact. If there are variances (anomalies if you will) then they must be the result of some other factors. I will gaurantee you if you blame the last few poor runs solely on the fish farms you are putting your head in the sand and possibly ignoring a bigger factor that will cause the demise of the runs even if you remove the farms.

Nobody put the entire blame on fish farms, but we have said they are definitly a large portion of the problem. Not often will I agree with holmes but whatever it takes to get them off the migration routes and on the beach is fine with me.

 

[Little Hawk]

"...give me one good reason why our elected ppl or anyone for that matter, would knowingly or unknowingly, and now knowing in this case, ever agree to potentially sacrificing some of canadas natural resources?"

Holmsey: I have wrecked myself over this question for over a decade now that I've been studying and opposing this industry and have come to but one plausible conclusion - the industry has several of our key politicians bought & paid for!

 

[fishingbc]

I spent 4 hrs with a guy at work who was instrumental in setting up ALL of the fish farms back in the day...the things he was telling me blew my mind....he was a high ranking fisheries technician with masters in all that fishy ****....no names sorry as work and him don't need the issues...he is very well known in those circles still....tell you If you ate Lox from those place you would puke if you knew the condition of those were in fish when killed....most were already dead.....he described it and I quote....." THEY WERE FILLED WITH BLACK JELLO, DRIPPIN OUT THERE A-HOLES" ......"SALVAGED MORTS " is the term he used.....nice eh....all were made into Lox for some reason...he didn't say why.....

lol fish4all,yep u took the words rite outta my mouth, i never ever said that they are the sole blame, but why are they where they are when they dont have to be?, its common sense that the fish farms shouldnt be doing what they are doing, i'll ask again, what are the benefits of having the lice farms in the ocean?, give me one good reason why our elected ppl or anyone for that matter, would knowingly or unknowingly, and now knowing in this case, ever agree to potentially sacrificing some of canadas natural resources?, it doesnt make sense to me, sorry for having a conscience....holmes*

and yes the farms are a constant impact, they are constant , and they are an impact, on wild salmon stocks and a whole host of other negetive effects on the environment

 

[Red Monster]

Boys, I think you misunderstand the lice problem at fish farms and its effects on salmon runs. Sometimes there are lower levels and sometimes there are higher levels of sea lice at the farms. The fish farms use chemicals to try to control the sea lice. I think the new research has shown that there was indeed a very high level of sea lice at fish farms at exactly the worst time that indeed wiped out the run of Fraser salmon. They found high levels of the same fish farm sea lice on the run of fish that passed the fish farms, and that run was wiped out a result. Moreover, salmon runs that did not pass the fish farms were fine. Get it? The sea lice levels at the fish farms are not a constant so you would not expect the same adverse effect on the wild salmon every year. That the fish farms have any adverse effect on wild salmon, at any time, in any year would be an issue to me and many people.

Are we willing to gamble with our runs of wild salmon? Shall we just hope and pray every year that fish farms won't contaminate the waters and wipe out runs of salmon? Are we willing to accept the risk of having fish farms? Or maybe we ought to accept losing a run of fish every now and then when the fish farms have UNTIMELY outbreaks of sea lice or whatever?

Of course the fish farms will deny any responsibility for wiping out salmon runs while also claiming to address all concerns regarding the control of sea lice and other problems in the future. It's always the same story. But the truth is that fish farms are indeed having an adverse effect on wild runs with some years being worse than others.

 

[Rockfish]

Why Our Federal Politicians Support Fish Farms

It is really very simple to figure out why our federal politicians support the almost completely Norwegian owned fish farm industry in the destruction of the BC coast and our wild salmon. It is all about money and political support but it is NOT about the insignificant few hundred million that the fish farms bring to the economy of BC at the expense of the damage to our multibillion dollar wild salmon fishery.

These farms have very specific location requirements where they can have cold water and sheltered locations protected from the storms that will break them up. They also need good water flow to take away the metabolic waste, chemical toxins and reduce parasite load that are destructive to their product by washing away the young free swimming stage of the sea lice.

Norway and their fish farm corporations are having real problems with acceptance of their very environmentally destructive and dirty industry. Countries that have untapped suitable farm locations will not let them in and those that do have fish farms will not let them expand and are facing increasing pressure to get rid of the ocean based farms altogether , including in Norway. There are no fish farms permitted in Alaska and the Norwegian Corporations are gone from the USA although a few US fish farms still exist in the lower 48.

In addition, the very nature of the diseases and viruses associated with these high density feed lots has forced the salmon farms out of some locations by killing their farmed fish and doing major damage to the environment and local economy. As much as the parasite/sea lice issue has consumed the debate in BC and damaged our wild salmon; I believe the time will come when it will be the super viruses and drug resistant bacterial disease evolving in these unnatural high density salmon feed lots that will be the downfall of the fish farms and cause the devastating destruction of our wild salmon. To get a sense of this, Google (salmon farm virus Chile). Here are some examples of what you will find:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/americas/27salmon.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-imhoff/chiles-salmon-farms-vergi_b_229836.html

http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article001063056.cfm?x=bblvbvn,b7wML8F8,w

So why are our politicians so willing to sell out BC’s coast and risk our multibillion dollar wild salmon industry and heritage for a comparatively insignificant few hundred million dollars in potentially temporary contribution to the economy of BC? The answer is big business, multibillion dollar business, the oil business.

Like Norway’s fish farm industry; Canada also has large corporate interests in a multibillion dollar project which does not have what one could say is a particularly green footprint and for which there is considerable concern over the environmental impact worldwide. In order to develop the Alberta Oil Sands Project, Canada needs two things; a great deal of money/investment and support from other nations to overcome the domestic and worldwide environmental concerns. Norway has become one of the Big five Oil Sands Project Investors with their state owned oil company Statoil.
Google (Norway oil sands)

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/04/27/oilsands.html

http://blog.norway.com/2011/01/27/statoil-canada-oil-sands-sagd-project-produces-first-oil/

http://thegreenpages.ca/ca/2010/05/leading_climate_scientist_urge/

One can conclude that an accommodation has been reached between Canada and Norway. Norway invests billions in the Alberta Oil Sands and defends the project and resists calls to pull out for environmental reasons and Canada gives them our west coast inlets for fish farms and resists calls to remove the Norwegian fish farms from the BC coast. In fact our politicians may well feel they got the best of the deal, all they have to risk is some wild salmon on the west coast and hopefully the wild salmon and fishing industry will be OK. But if it does not work out for the wild salmon, well that’s just business, sometimes you have to make tradeoffs and BC gets a few low paying jobs in the fish farm industry for now as consolation.

I once saw an interview with one of the senior executive for a Norwegian Fish Farm Corporation who in response to questions about the environmental concerns related to their fish farms in BC stated “we are not going anywhere”. What struck me was the smugness and arrogance with which he said it; it would seem he has good reason for his confidence.

 

[h-core]

Why Our Federal Politicians Support Fish Farms

It is really very simple to figure out why our federal politicians support the almost completely Norwegian owned fish farm industry in the destruction of the BC coast and our wild salmon. It is all about money and political support but it is NOT about the insignificant few hundred million that the fish farms bring to the economy of BC at the expense of the damage to our multibillion dollar wild salmon fishery.

These farms have very specific location requirements where they can have cold water and sheltered locations protected from the storms that will break them up. They also need good water flow to take away the metabolic waste, chemical toxins and reduce parasite load that are destructive to their product by washing away the young free swimming stage of the sea lice.

Norway and their fish farm corporations are having real problems with acceptance of their very environmentally destructive and dirty industry. Countries that have untapped suitable farm locations will not let them in and those that do have fish farms will not let them expand and are facing increasing pressure to get rid of the ocean based farms altogether , including in Norway. There are no fish farms permitted in Alaska and the Norwegian Corporations are gone from the USA although a few US fish farms still exist in the lower 48.

In addition, the very nature of the diseases and viruses associated with these high density feed lots has forced the salmon farms out of some locations by killing their farmed fish well doing major damage to the environment and local economy. As much as the parasite/sea lice issue has consumed the debate in BC and damaged our wild salmon; I believe the time will come when it will be the super viruses and drug resistant bacterial disease evolving in these unnatural high density salmon feed lots that will be the downfall of the fish farms and cause the devastating destruction of our wild salmon. To get a sense of this, Google (salmon farm virus Chile). Here are some examples of what you will find:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/world/americas/27salmon.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-imhoff/chiles-salmon-farms-vergi_b_229836.html

http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article001063056.cfm?x=bblvbvn,b7wML8F8,w

So why are our politicians so willing to sell out BC’s coast and risk our multibillion dollar wild salmon industry and heritage for a comparatively insignificant few hundred million dollars in potentially temporary contribution to the economy of BC? The answer is big business, multibillion dollar business, the oil business.

Like Norway’s fish farm industry; Canada also has large corporate interests in a multibillion dollar project which does not have what one could say is a particularly green footprint and for which there is considerable concern over the environmental impact worldwide. In order to develop the Alberta Oil Sands Project, Canada needs two things; a great deal of money/investment and support from other nations to overcome the domestic and worldwide environmental concerns. Norway has become one of the Big five Oil Sands Project Investors with their state owned oil company Statoil.
Google (Norway oil sands)

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/04/27/oilsands.html

http://blog.norway.com/2011/01/27/statoil-canada-oil-sands-sagd-project-produces-first-oil/

http://thegreenpages.ca/ca/2010/05/leading_climate_scientist_urge/

One can conclude that an accommodation has been reached between Canada and Norway. Norway invests billions in the Alberta Oil Sands and defends the project and resists calls to pull out for environmental reasons and Canada gives them our west coast inlets for fish farms and resists calls to remove the Norwegian fish farms from the BC coast. In fact our politicians may well feel they got the best of the deal, all they have to risk is some wild salmon on the west coast and hopefully the wild salmon and fishing industry will be OK. But if it does not work out for the wild salmon, well that’s just business, sometimes you have to make tradeoffs and BC gets a few low paying jobs in the fish farm industry for now as consolation.

I once saw an interview with one of the senior executive for a Norwegian Fish Farm Corporation who in response to questions about the environmental concerns related to their fish farms in BC stated “we are not going anywhere”. What struck me was the smugness and arrogance with which he said it; it would seem he has good reason for his confidence.

Don't forget about all the offshore oil that can be tapped once our fisheries are exausted! It's a win win for big business, rape and pillage the fish stocks and get rewarded by little resistance to developing offshore oil as the coastal communities will need the jobs. Scary angle, but very plausable! They already did it on the east coast.

 

[h-core]

Boys, I think you misunderstand the lice problem at fish farms and its effects on salmon runs. Sometimes there are lower levels and sometimes there are higher levels of sea lice at the farms. The fish farms use chemicals to try to control the sea lice. I think the new research has shown that there was indeed a very high level of sea lice at fish farms at exactly the worst time that indeed wiped out the run of Fraser salmon. They found high levels of the same fish farm sea lice on the run of fish that passed the fish farms, and that run was wiped out a result. Moreover, salmon runs that did not pass the fish farms were fine. Get it? The sea lice levels at the fish farms are not a constant so you would not expect the same adverse effect on the wild salmon every year. That the fish farms have any adverse effect on wild salmon, at any time, in any year would be an issue to me and many people.

Are we willing to gamble with our runs of wild salmon? Shall we just hope and pray every year that fish farms won't contaminate the waters and wipe out runs of salmon? Are we willing to accept the risk of having fish farms? Or maybe we ought to accept losing a run of fish every now and then when the fish farms have UNTIMELY outbreaks of sea lice or whatever?

Of course the fish farms will deny any responsibility for wiping out salmon runs while also claiming to address all concerns regarding the control of sea lice and other problems in the future. It's always the same story. But the truth is that fish farms are indeed having an adverse effect on wild runs with some years being worse than others.

Another thing to consider; in years that the ocean is healthy, the smolts will be much bigger & healthier by the time they reach the farms as the feed was good enroute. They likely have a better chance of surviving lice infestation and disease in those years. In years that the ocean conditions are poor (seems like more often the norm these days) They likely have far less chance of surviving the same level of infestation or disease outbreak.