October 2,  2020

British Columbia, Canada conservationists unhappy over conclusion on pathogen risk on wild salmon

A recent conclusion on the potential environmental impact of salmon farms at the Discovery Islands, Canada, on wild salmons has roused the unhappiness of their opponents.

In late September, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced that assessments on nine pathogens showed a minimal risks to wild salmon. This means a likeness that the farms will continue to operate past a September 30 deadline. The deadline was recommended in the 2012 Cohen Commission report if the operations exceeded minimal risk to Fraser River Sockeye.

Now British Columbia First Nations and conservation groups wants to know why the federal government excluded sea lice from its risk assessments of salmon farms on wild stocks.

Adding to highly critical statements from those groups, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) and the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations are questioning DFO's rationale for not looking at the cumulative impacts of the pathogens on wild salmon, nor the more contentious subject of impacts from sea lice.

"The bottom line is that the minister's decision is contrary to evidence submitted by biologists that sea lice from fish farms threaten the survival of wild salmon, and is contrary to the concerns of First Nations over the chemicals used to treat sea lice in fish farms and the turbulent waters in the Discovery Islands area that could spread sea lice for miles," said UBCIC president, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip. "How can the failure to implement the Cohen Commission's recommendation be justified when the DFO did not even test for sea lice in its assessments of various pathogens and diseases found on fish farms? How can the DFO justify its actions when the livelihoods, cultures and rights of Indigenous peoples are at stake?"

The David Suzuki Foundation is calling on DFO to embrace the precautionary principle and shut the farms down.

"Considering we saw the lowest returns of Fraser sockeye on record this year, it is unacceptable and irresponsible to ignore the proven risks sea lice from salmon farms pose to wild salmon," David Suzuki Foundation director general for western Canada Jay Ritchlin said. "Science has established that fish farms can raise sea lice levels, and that these parasites can kill young salmon. If you want to protect struggling salmon populations, you should start by getting these fish farms out of the water."

DFO has said that it would have been redundant to include sea lice in its risk assessment, as an extensive body of peer-reviewed science into the spread and treatment of sea lice is already employed to inform management decisions on all farms in British Columbia.

The drastic drop in British Columbia's wild salmon has been attributed by conservationists to salmon farms. Climate change, overfishing and increased predation are also other factors.

Meanwhile, the BC Salmon Farmers Association maintains high sea lice levels have been reported in areas both with and without salmon farms, but a modern, integrated approach to controlling the parasite on farms has been highly effective.

- Campbell River Mirror