Let's not jump to conclusions over infected salmon
By Mary Ellen Walling, Vancouver Sun October 22, 2011
Re: Infected salmon put fish farms, government policy, under microscope, Letters, Oct. 20
Don Staniford is wrong when he says that a finding of ISA (infectious salmon anemia) leads back directly to salmon farm companies in B.C.
Nearly 5,000 fish from salmon farms in B.C. have been tested for ISA with the highly sensitive PCR test and the disease has never been found.
Salmon farmers in B.C. are not seeing any notable health issue on their farms - an important note as Atlantic salmon are particularly susceptible to ISA while Pacific salmon are not.
Egg imports have been highly regulated for many years.
Imports have only been allowed from ISA-free zones, following extensive testing at both the source and recipient locations, and are required to be in quarantine before ever being introduced to the ocean.
Experts across Canada are cautioning people from making exactly the kind of overly simplistic assumptions that Mr. Staniford does in his letter.
If ISA is here, it is a concern for all of us, but fearmongering before answers are known - as these anti-salmon farm campaigners have done - only distracts proactive work to learn more.
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director, BC Salmon Farmers Association
