Friends of Clayoquot Sound: News 030312

Immediate Release - March 3, 2003

Disease Epidemic Hits Salmon Farms in Clayoquot Sound

A viral disease is sweeping through Clayoquot Sound salmon farms, passing from one farm to another through the water column inhabited by wild stocks. The virus, Infectious Hemapoietic Necosis (IHN), has infected more than five farms operated by Pacific National Aquaculture, the major salmon farming company in Clayoquot Sound. Virtually all of their other farms in the area are suspected of being infected with the virus. Testing at other farms should soon be complete to confirm presence of the disease.

IHN is a virus native to the BC coast that can infect several species of fish, including salmon and herring. PNA farms primarily Atlantic salmon, a species particularly susceptible to this disease. This pathogen is highly contagious. IHN can remain in the water for several weeks, even after fallowing a farm (no fish in the netpens). As with many other diseases, IHN may originate in the wild, yet fish farms may artificially inflate IHN-related mortalities in wild stocks. This could occur when wild fish must pass by high densities of infected fish along their migratory routes. This type of disease transmission (from farmed salmon to wild stocks) requires scientific investigation. � It has never been studied in Clayoquot Sound. Herring are of particular concern at the moment, as they will soon be coming to spawn in the heavily IHN infected waters.

"Disease and parasite transmission from farmed to wild fish is a major problem with netcage salmon farming. On the east side of the island, the scientific advisory council to DFO concluded sea lice from fish farms most likely caused the collapse of the pink salmon runs", stated Leah Walberg, spokesperson for Friends of Clayoquot Sound (FOCS). "As long as salmon farms are directly in the ocean, we are taking big risks with our wild fish."

PNA is in the midst of fallowing several of their farms due to the disease. Two infected sites have already been harvested and left fallow, McIntyre Lake and Fortune Channel. Infected fish that survive to marketable size are sold for human consumption, as this disease is not known to be harmful to warm-blooded animals, including humans.

"Though this epidemic may hit PNA economically, they will be able to recover. The farms are amplifying the disease, and if it transfers back to our wild fish, the damage could be irreversible. At this time, we hope that PNA will take a serious look at alternative technologies that will not allow diseases to spread to the open waters � a solution environmental groups have long since recommended", concluded Walberg.

For more information, please contact:

Leah Walberg, Friends of Clayoquot Sound (250) 725-4218

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Contact us!

Friends of Clayoquot Sound
PO Box 489, 331 Neill St., Tofino BC V0R 2Z0
Tel: 250-725-4218 Fax: 250-725-2527
Email: info@focs.ca