Submission 0247-MARKS

Submitter: Chris Marks

Community: Victoria

Date Submitted: October 4, 2023

Summary:
(The attached document was provided to the commission at the Victoria public forum as part of the submission by Chris Marks.)

Credible science shows a connection between open net-pen aquaculture and the decline of wild salmon stocks. DFO should apply the precautionary principle and mandate that fish farms be moved to closed containment systems, and disease reporting by aquaculture corporations should be made mandatory. A
recent article in Virology Journal traces the transmission of the ISA virus from Europe to South America, which contradicts recent statements by DFO that the virus does not travel in eggs. The commission should thoroughly investigate the aquaculture industry to ensure the public has a balanced understanding of its risks to wild salmon.

Submission:
This submission was presented at the Victoria Public Forum on September 16, 2010.