'Relatively' speaking, it's a matter of the truth
Courier-Islander November 18, 2011
In response to Barbara Watson's letter I will confirm yes I am indeed related to fish farming. I am married to a Marine Harvest employee. As for my comment lower than low I simply found it interesting and somewhat "low" that the Courier-Islander published Ray Grigg's articles without the editor taking the trouble to ensure the information was factual. A lot of it wasn't. Most of his comments reflect his support of the local activist and simply repeated her claims made all over the media about what was said by Miller, what was said by Marty, what was said at the (Cohen) inquiry.
What was said is available to anyone reading the Cohen inquiry website. Miller was not muzzled, she simply respected a government request from the Privy council to withhold comments in the media until she had testified at the inquiry. Her study was already published online in Science so to state she was "muzzled" is somewhat of an exaggeration. Her study was available to be read online. Nor at any time did Miller ever state there was ISA as claimed by Morton. Miller refuted what a certain activist was stating. Her (Miller's) work is a hypothesis at this stage and one she needs to develop further as she stated in inquiry transcripts.
Morton has put words in Dr. Marty's mouth as well which he also has refuted in recent media letters and radio interviews. This practice of people believing Morton statements simply because Morton has made them has to stop. Her anti-farm rhetoric has been considerably more lucrative than her original whale research. People like Grigg simply repeat everything she says as the gospel truth but sadly so much of it is false. Her claim that sea lice had decimated the Broughton pinks and they would be extinct by 2011 comes to mind as a prime example. Fact is Broughton pinks have fluctuated for years and been studied for decades. The Marine Stewardship Council actually certified BC pinks as sustainable this year, the very year Morton claimed throughout the media that they would be gone forever.
Ms. Watson is free to believe what she likes as am I. The fact I am related to a salmon farmer doesn't alter facts about the industry. And yes, Barbara Watson, scientists are suspicious as scientists should be. It is because of their studies on "suspicious" things that important discoveries are made every day. But the science needs to be factual and so much of Morton's isn't. So much has been shown to be done improperly as now stated by PhD David Gorman regarding Morton's premature claim that ISA is in wild sockeye. The very veterinary college she credits with the discovery has come out in the media stating the tests did not isolate the ISA virus as claimed. I will defend aquaculture until I see absolute proof my trust is misplaced. I too care about wild salmon. I once made my living off them and I know as well as anyone what the decline in runs means. But I also know providing false statements, test results etc. cannot change the truth.
H Olney
H. Olney's letter was in response to the following:
The great unwashed
By Barbara Watson, Courier-Islander October 21, 2011
I am going to take a wild guess that the author of the letter "Lower than low" in the Oct. 14 Courier-Islander is a fish farmer.
Now that the evidence is piling up against the existence of fish farms, with only company spokesman Mary Ellen Walling and the fish farmers themselves spinning their defences in order to retain their jobs, it is not surprising that the vast majority of opinions from the public are antifish farming. The continuing argument that only those making money from this industry have true knowledge of the consequences, and that the great unwashed public needs to be enlightened in their ignorance is becoming both annoying and insulting. There are many reasons why this industry is unpopular and unwanted by the BC public. This is why our letters are negative. The industry doth protest too loudly and cherry picks what suits them to pacify our concerns. A sure sign of something to hide.
Are we suspicious of threats to our environment? Yes.
Are the scientists suspicious? Yes.
Is the industry suspicious? No.
Is the government governed by the precautionary principle? Apparently not.
Keep up the good work, Courier-Islander. You have a hot bed location and it would be easy to concede to local demands to leave the industry alone and let them get on with business as usual. The rest of us great unwashed, ignorant public appreciate hearing about the threats that this industry brings to our coast.
Watson was responding to the following:
Lower than low
By H Olney, Courier-Islander October 14, 2011
Dear Editor, I can only assume that you must be hard up for editorials considering the vile garbage you continue to publish from Ray Grigg.
Frankly your paper is looking very anti supportive of a vital industry that may I remind you funds hundreds of businesses and local residents who by the way are your clientele and readership. Frankly if this is the best support the Courier-Islander has for its local residents I don't care to read your paper any longer.
You've become not much more than an Alex Morton and supporters propaganda rag. You have made it clear for the past couple of years that you support Alexandra Morton and her propaganda regardless of how childish she behaves.
I find the continued publishing of this drivel pretty low rate and your paper is starting to become nothing more than a bunch of low rate journalism by ill-informed and biased probably paid for Morton supporters. Shame on you. You have slid lower than low.
H Olney
