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New Research Shows Sea Lice Can 'Jump Ship' and Spread Among Wild Salmon
Recently published research in the peer-reviewed science journal Biology Letters has shown a new and troubling route for the transmission of sea lice: the lice literally jump from juvenile salmon to larger fish that prey on them.
The study, by Simon Fraser University Doctoral candidate Brendan Connors and researchers from the University of Alberta, showed that sea lice on small pink salmon also infected predatory cutthroat trout and coho salmon in approximately 70% of the trials in which these predators ate a parasitized pink salmon prey.
“Sea lice on pinks that are about to be eaten by a coho or cutthroat literally do a back flip off the fish they were on and land right between the eyes of the predator,” said Connors, a behavioral ecologist. “We were surprised by how often it happened,” Connors continued.
The experiments were carried out in ocean enclosures at a research station in the Broughton Archipelago—the area with the highest concentrations of salmon farms in British Columbia. Previous research by Watershed Watch Salmon Society, a co-sponsor of the new SFU research, has shown that farmed salmon in this area annually produce billions of infectious lice larvae which pose a threat to wild salmon.
“The SFU study shows for the first time that farm-origin lice can be transmitted ‘up the food web’ from prey to predator,” said Dr. Craig Orr of Watershed Watch, a Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR) member. “This certainly raises the ecological stakes in terms of dealing with sea lice impacts,” said Orr.
Read the news story in the Vancouver Sun.
Norway's Cermaq Group Visits BC Operations
In late August, British Columbia got a visit from board members and executives from Norwegian-owned Cermaq Group. The group toured the salmon farming operations of their subsidiary company Mainstream Canada - the second largest producer of farmed salmon in BC. While in BC, Cermaq representatives met with CAAR to discuss the company’s operations, its potential role in safer migratory route proposals, and the sea lice problems plaguing BC wild salmon in the areas salmon farms operate.
In January, Cermaq commissioned a paper, “Overview of Sea Lice Issues and Risks to Farmed and Wild Salmon” prepared by Saksida and Downey. The paper, which Cermaq has been relying on to downplay the threat of sea lice from open net-cages, failed to include key published research and management details that demonstrate the link between sea lice originating from salmon farms and juvenile wild salmon mortality. Read the critique of the Saksida paper by Stan Proboszcz and Dr. Craig Orr from Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
Simon Fraser University Professor Dr. Larry Dill accompanied the CAAR delegation and spoke to the weight of scientific evidence that supports the grave concerns with sea lice originating from fish farms and threatening wild salmon survival. CAAR representatives emphasized the need for investment in closed containment technology that can address the multitude of problems inherent in open net-cage production and urged the Cermaq board and CEO to support pilot projects in BC to assess commercial viability of the technology for rearing salmon.
While Cermaq has not committed to any concrete action, the meetings with CAAR were unprecedented for the company.
Noting the shift in Cermaq’s attitude and citing Marine Harvest Canada’s earlier announcement supporting a $10 million government investment for closed-containment, a reporter from the industry trade journal, Intrafish, predicted: "When salmon farming behemoths such as Marine Harvest and Cermaq begin to move in the direction of being more eco-friendly, and begin to consider ideas that until now were treated with disdain if not outright contempt – does anyone remember how salmon firms scoffed at closed-containment a few years ago? – it's a matter of time before the entire industry gets in line behind them and follows."
A solution CAAR and our allies and supporters have been working towards.
More Businesses Saying Yes to Protecting Wild Salmon
Recently, CAAR launched a new name and look for our restaurant and grocer program – Wild Salmon Supporters. With sustainability awareness reaching new heights and the hard work of our new markets team member, more and more businesses are saying yes to wild salmon protection and no to farmed salmon from open net-cages.
Our program is dedicated to working with chefs, restaurants, and retailers that are making a commitment not to sell net-cage farmed salmon until the industry shifts to more sustainable production methods.
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Download one of our
new web badges!
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New Wild Salmon Supporter members include grocery companies New Seasons
Market in Oregon and Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD). SPUD
services Pacific coast cities from Los Angeles to Vancouver and east of
the Canadian Rockies in Calgary. In the Vancouver area, Choices Market,
The Lazy Gourmet and Diva at the Met offer new options for shopping,
catering and dining that guarantee you won’t unintentionally purchase
farmed salmon. To find these and more Wild Salmon Supporters, use our on-line search tool. This fall, watch for upcoming profiles on Susan Mendelson of The Lazy Gourmet, and Asa Copithorne and The Big Carrot Natural Foods Market in Toronto.
We’d love to see the program grow even more. Please help us spread the word by using our referral form
to let us know about your neighborhood grocer or favourite restaurant
that you’d like to see become a Wild Salmon Supporter. And don’t forget
to continue to ask “Is it farmed or wild?” Businesses are taking notice
of your concerns – keep up the great work! Together, we can continue to
encourage fundamental changes in the salmon farming industry.
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