Reckless Actions by Activists Threaten Company's Fish Health
Marine Harvest Canada, June 8, 2012
Recent reckless actions of anti-salmon farming activists has prompted BC's largest salmon aquaculture company to remind the public of its biosecurity protocols in place to help protect fish health
"We are pleased that our fish are very healthy and we are working hard to keep it that way," says Clare Backman, Director of Sustainable Programs at Marine Harvest Canada (MHC), "but recent online threats of harmful actions to our fish and recent, unscheduled visits by activist Alexandra Morton at dozens of our farm sites may threaten this situation."
"The first step is to contact our main office to request a visit so we can inform the interested party of the strict biosecurity measures in place," states Backman. "Biosecurity measures are comprehensive for our staff, but we simply ask that boat operators requested to approach our facilities do so at a respectful distance from our operations and not to transport equipment or biological material, such as fish, to or from the salmon farm without prior approval."
Although a common fish virus known as Infectious Haematopoietic Necrosis virus (IHNv) infected farm-raised salmon at a single site near Tofino, BC, Marine Harvest's recent test results have confirmed all its sites are free of IHN. IHN is naturally hosted by many wild Pacific salmon species who are known to be resistant to the virus, but is potentially life-threatening to farm-raised Atlantic salmon
The single farm recently affected was owned by a different company that promptly and safely disposed of the infected fish, but MHC remains on "high alert" to prevent any further spread of the virus.
"Past experience and research shows that people and equipment can bring IHNv to salmon farms," says Dr. Diane Morrison, Fish Health and Food Safety Director. "Respecting our biosecurity protocols, which includes minimizing traffic to and from sites, is important to help protect the health of our fish and the thousands of jobs that rely on them."
MHC adds that, despite the contentions of Alexandra Morton, its farm-raised salmon are free of other bacterial and viral fish diseases such as ISA and HSMI.
"Our biosecurity protocols are in place, as always, to protect the health of our fish and the jobs they provide," adds Backman.
Contact information for MHC can be found on its website at www.marineharvestcanada.com
Marine Harvest Canada is British Columbia's largest salmon aquaculture company with 500 employees.
