New threat to BC wild salmon revealed

[SteveK]

While some worry about transiting vessels. Fish farms are killing the BC wild salmon and the administration knows/knew about it.

Recent government documents reveal Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) staff were shown new research indicating a bacterium (T. maritimum) that causes mouth rot in Atlantic salmon is hitting B.C. factory farms hard. The science shows this bacterium is decreasing the survival of wild salmon that pass by the farms.

The mouth-rot bacterium is naturally present in the marine environment; but, its infection pressure peaks near salmon farms at more than 12 times background levels. This shocking info hasn’t even hit the news yet. Here’s an excerpt cut right from the federal documents:

As if out-of-control salmon lice from factory farms weren’t enough! This is a bad situation.

https://watershedwatch.ca/

 

[firehoser75]

I have believed for years, that these types of fish farms should be stopped. There must be other methods that could be used to continue raising farmed fish and to protect wild stocks at the same time. EG. tanks on land??

 

[SteveK]

It is Atlantic farmed salmon. Farm it on the atlantic.
Btw when last in Florida saw prawn farms on land. Anything else is possible though there must be an extra cost involved.

 

[drb1025]

The fish farms have been permitted to exploit our natural resources, which is cheaper to the farmers, rather than pursuing the more expensive land based fish farms. Comes down to money and lobbying.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I thought B.C. was outlawing fish farms at least in the in the Desolation Sound/Broughtons? This sucks. When we came through in 2019 there seemed to be fish farms going up every where in B.C.

Washington is now allowing fish farms but can only raise native fish like Coho etc.

 

[SteveK]

Trudy is too busy planning a sneak election. The discovery group was to be shut down, however last report was the fish farms will conduct meetings with indigenous leaders to get an extension while restocking this year even though they are to dismantle in 2022.

Follow the $$$$$

 

[soin2la]

I thought B.C. was outlawing fish farms at least in the in the Desolation Sound/Broughtons? When we came through in 2019 there seemed to be fish farms going up every where in B.C.

Your “thought” is incorrect and I’m not going to spend a lot of time on it, because as you often say: ”look it up.” There are dozens of Google hits on BC fish farm closures and I just grabbed the two most convenient.

There was a DFO order in December 2020, that a small number of facilities in the Discovery Islands, would not be permitted to restock after June 2022. They were not outlawed and the principals immediately initiated plans to relocate.

Opposition mounted quickly and on April 05, 2021, a Federal Judge suspended the DFO Order.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...sh-farms-in-b-c-s-discovery-islands-1.5977450

Further, there has been no significant increase in BC fish farms and the topic of this thread is really nothing new.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Ok fair enough. So I have a genuine question.

The Alaska Native Tribes are set against fish farms. They would rather manage the wild stock. Things like Pebble mine also comes to mind and the destruction of the Bristol Bay stock. Because of their input fish farms are illegal in Alaska.

So why the big difference between Alaskan Natives and the First Nations of B.C.?

Is it a money maker for them? Different management processes?

I find in some spots where B.C. does a better job of managing salmon than Alaska does.

 

[soin2la]

So why the big difference between Alaskan Natives and the First Nations of B.C.?
Is it a money maker for them? Different management processes?

If you are asking me, I’m not even remotely equipped to answer any of those questions.

I do have a question for you, though:

I find in some spots where B.C. does a better job of managing salmon than Alaska does.

Where?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

If you are asking me, I’m not even remotely equipped to answer any of those questions.

I do have a question for you, though:

Where?

We saw a lot of fish in Inside Covert Island. Lots of fish in Kutze Inlet. It also might be the fishing pressure is not much in northern B.C. when compared to the south end of B.C.

I caught a nice king in Kutze and it had a marker chip. I turned it in and I got a call from a fish biologist wanting to confirm where I caught it. It appeared it came from a hatchery in Desolation Sound. Heading up river in Kutze.

It will be nice when everything opens up and we can explore northern B.C.

 

[GFC]

I caught a nice king in Kutze and it had a marker chip. I turned it in and I got a call from a fish biologist wanting to confirm where I caught it. It appeared it came from a hatchery in Desolation Sound. Heading up river in Kutze.

C'mon Tom, Was that King really caught by Kay?
Just pulling your leg and saying good morning to you!

 

[SteveK]

Hey Canucks, if you care about wild salmon send your voice to Ottawa.

Another bombshell was published today by the Globe & Mail. Some Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) staff blocked the release of a science study that shows a harmful fish farm virus (known as PRV) causes disease in chinook salmon. And get this, they suppressed this information for 10 YEARS!

https://watershedwatch.ca/june-22-do-not-renew/
https://www.safesalmon.ca/?utm_campaign=dfo_witholding_info&utm_medium=email&utm_source=safesalmon

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Hey Canucks, if you care about wild salmon send your voice to Ottawa.

https://watershedwatch.ca/june-22-do-not-renew/
https://www.safesalmon.ca/?utm_campaign=dfo_witholding_info&utm_medium=email&utm_source=safesalmon

WOW! Sad I hope they listen. Washington State is in the process of eliminating Atlantic salmon farms. Looks like they are looking at fish farms that have indigent salmon species.

 

[tpbrady]

Alaska doesn’t have fish farms but between the State and aquaculture associations the salmon runs, especially pink, chum, and red salmon are augmented with hatchery production in SE and PWS. These augmented runs also threaten wild stocks through diluting the wild gene pool. You see attempts to mitigate this in sport fish limits on take of wild vs hatchery king salmon. These operations take advantage of nature without pens but roll the dice on open ocean survival. They have also resulted in conditioning of whales to hang around hatcheries waiting for release of smolt. The hatcheries now play a shell game with the whales by towing pens of smolt out to release them elsewhere, including empty pens hoping to have the whales follow the wrong pen.

Tom

 

[AlaskaProf]

fish farms that have indigent salmon species.

Really?!

 

[soin2la]

Really?!

x 2

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Really?!

Well said another way. If fish farms are used, the only fish to be raised need to be local species. No Atlantic salmon in Washington or B.C. pens....

 

[soin2la]

These guys enjoy fish farms.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sea-lions-take-over-bc-fish-farm-1.6407888

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

These guys enjoy fish farms.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sea-lions-take-over-bc-fish-farm-1.6407888

LOL We see thousands of those on the Columbia River. They love salmon too.

 

[SteveK]

these guys enjoy fish farms.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sea-lions-take-over-bc-fish-farm-1.6407888

 

[soin2la]

Well said another way. If fish farms are used, the only fish to be raised need to be local species.

We were chuckling at how autocorrect changed your words:

Looks like they are looking at fish farms that have indigent salmon species.

We're think maybe you meant indignant.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

We were chuckling at how autocorrect changed your words:

We're think maybe you meant indignant.

Dang auto correct. I am just a simple redneck that enjoys the water.