Stu Comments on BC Salmon Facts Forum
Stu says:
John, most of the food we consume has been packaged and colored for centuries now. The tomato you eat is supposed to be green. The fruit drinks that you consume have artificial flavoring and dyes.
Since you are so selectively concerned about this one product, may I ask you to stop buying farm produced salmon - after all nobody is forcing you, are they?
Don't try to decide for other consumers and impose your theories on others. They are at least as smart as you are and don't need a self-appointed elitist activist to tell them what to consume.
Nov 9 2011 11:23 AM
Stu says:
SFU, a taxpayer supported university, has now become a den of pseudo-science and pseudo-economics. They seem to host and employ a slew of taxpayer paid activists to attack and malign the same people and business who are paying their salaries.
A government panel should look into the pseudo-scientific and pseudo-policy activities taking place at SFU, and point out the ideologues and activists there who only have the impoverishment of British Columbia in mind.
Nov 9 2011 11:29 AM
Stu was commenting on the following BCSalmon Facts Forum
http://www.bcsalmonfacts.ca/forum/#!/d32cd11f49
Federal government tests find no cases of ISA
Submitted by BC Salmon Facts
News that no Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) was detected in follow up testing of Pacific salmon samples by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is welcome information for B.C.'s salmon farmers.
Following up on unconfirmed results publicized widely by anti-salmon farm campaigners four weeks ago, the CFIA tested the same sample collection plus additional samples collected and had no positive results for ISA.
"This is a significant result for everyone involved: researchers, regulators, wild salmon advocates, salmon farmers and our coastal communities," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director. "After seeing the original news distributed in such an inflammatory way, we hope this update will allay those concerns."
On Oct. 17, Simon Fraser University hosted a press conference claiming that positive results had been found in two of 48 smolt samples tested for ISAv. This was contrary to every other previous test for ISA in BC with nearly 5,000 fish analyzed since 2003. They all showed negative for the virus.
In the follow up testing done by CFIA, all of those 48 smolts tested negative as did other samples collected by CFIA from researchers involved. Some samples were too degraded for testing to be completed.
The allegation that ISA had been found in BC was concerning to BC salmon farmers who, while confident that the extensive testing showed ISA is not on their farms, were worried about the possible effect of the virus which is harmful to Atlantic salmon. Pacific salmon are relatively immune to ISAv.
"This is a good example of why proper sampling, testing and reporting procedures are in place and should be followed: the unconfirmed report from Simon Fraser appeared to be designed to create as much hype as possible. This has cost significant resources in time and money in emergency follow-up while also potentially impacting international markets for our business," said Walling.
"We're pleased to see the thorough way CFIA is following up, but are dismayed at the way campaigners used this to create fear about our operations," said Walling.
The BCSFA understands that the investigation by the CFIA is continuing. The industry is providing any additional information to the CFIA as needed. In the meantime, our farmers continue in their regular, ongoing sampling/monitoring program.
The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.
From: www.salmonfarmers.org/federal-government-tests-find-no-cases-isa
To see the press release from CFIA, click here.
To read a backgrounder on ISA from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, click here.
To read a statement by Department of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield and BC's Minister of Agriculture Don McRae, click here.
