Submission 0054-MACNEIL

Submitter: Pauline Mac Neil

Community: Courtenay

Date Submitted: June 4, 2023

Summary:

Research by the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Farms suggests that the transmission of the infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus from farmed salmon to wild salmon may have been a factor in the collapse of the Fraser River sockeye in 2009. Accordingly, fish farms should be removed from the ocean environment and relocated on land in order to eliminate water transmission of disease and parasites between British Columbia’s farmed and wild fish.

Submission:

Submission Files:

File 1:

PaulineMacNeilTestimony.pdf

Comment List

Name: Sonja Saksida

Date Created: June 14, 2023

Comment:

I am the Executive Director for the BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences, a not for profit research facility located in Campbell River. I am licensed veterinarian with training in epidemiology and aquatic animal health. I am also the author of the report referenced in this submission.

Farmed Atlantic salmon in British Columbia have not had an IHNV outbreak since 2003. This has been verified through the extensive fish health audit program run by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, which visits farms selected at random, testing 600 – 800 fish every year for IHNV (see their Fish Health reports for 2003-2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/ahc/fish_health/index.htm

The sockeye salmon that failed to return in 2009 entered the ocean as juveniles in 2007–4 years after the last outbreak of IHNV in farmed Atlantic salmon. Therefore, IHNV from farm fish could not have affected the 2009 Fraser River sockeye salmon run.

Name: albert george

Date Created: June 16, 2023

Comment:

we need more tested done so thatfish farms will not harm are wild stocks. we all have to work together