Tag Archives: Molecular Genetics Lab

Rivers & Oceans

Fish Farms may pose more than a minimal risk, studies suggest

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Three recent academic papers suggest that salmon farms may pose more than a minimal risk to wild salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. 

In response, the BC Salmon Farmers Association emailed Cortes Currents that while these studies reported the presence of viruses, they did not show they were causing disease in farmed or wild salmon. 

Today’s program largely consists of interviews with Dr Andrew Bateman from the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF)’s Strategic Salmon Health Initiative (SSHI), one of the scientists involved in these studies, and readings from the industry’s response.

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Rivers & Oceans

Two local environmentalists speak out in favour of DFO’s decision

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Two well known Quadra Island environmentalists are speaking out in favour of the DFO’s decision to phase out salmon farms in the Discovery Islands.

After reading the text of the BC Salmon Farmers Association’s presentation to  the March 10th Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board Meeting, well known local author and Sierra Quadra Director Ray Grigg said, “They are offering nothing except for another delay, that’s all they want.” 

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Rivers & Oceans

SRD protests DFO’s failure to consult

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The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) board has joined the growing number of local governments protesting the DFO’s failure to consult before ruling that the Discovery Island fish farms must be phased out by June 2022. 

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Rivers & Oceans

The Canadian Government has until December 18th to decide: 18 salmon farms

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Two months have passed since Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) announced that “nine peer-reviewed, scientific risk assessments” find that salmon farms pose a ‘minimal risk’ to salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. This finding is important because the Canadian Government has until December 18th to decide whether to renew the licenses of the 18 salmon farms operating in that region. 

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Finances, Rivers & Oceans

Are DFO scientists too dependent on funding from industry?

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) unleashed a storm of protests, when they announced that salmon farms pose a minimal risk to migrating wild salmon. One of the most telling criticisms came through an interview that the Globe and Mail had with Kristi Miller-Saunders, head of the department’s molecular genetics laboratory at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. Dr. Miller-Saunders is troubled about the assessments and the fact department scientists are depend on funding from industry.

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