Deadly salmon disease found in B.C. farmed stock

[oneh2obabe]

A feared viral disease proven deadly in Norwegian fish farms has been confirmed for the first time by federal scientists studying farmed salmon in B.C.

Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) has been linked to the deaths of up to 20 per cent of stock at some Norwegian farms.

"The concern is that it is a disease that hasn't previously been detected in B.C. and at the present time we really don't have sufficient evidence to know if it causes mortality or is a production issue here," said Kristi Miller, part of a team of federal scientists studying farmed fish samples from sites along the B.C. coast.

Full article
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3593958

[Barney Google]

GREAT post Oneh2obabe and one very near and dear to my heart!

While the evidence is out I'm gonna throw it out there and guess that some of the issues will be related to the close quarters

and confines these 'animals' are 'farmed' in.

Similar concerns are evident within mass production cattle feedlots and poultry and pig barns

where animals are (sorry for the pun) born/raised cheek to jowl.

[Treblehook]

Is this farmed salmon industry simply driven by greedy people.... they don't seem to have a concern in the world about disease in their fish or more importantly, the risk that their industry presents to wild salmon. Salmon farming should only be allowed if the ponds are completely disconnected from the ocean and from our rivers and streams. We are maybe bound and determined to destroy our resources... farmed salmon and inadequate protection against invasive mussels come to mind.

[Graham Adder]

WE are the change needed

WE can speak volumes about our values by spending our money to reflect them.

[Barney Google]

Treblehook, what bugs the be-jingos out of me is that animals kept in these conditions are often fed medicated feeds. Now, recently that's been addressed in traditional livestock to a degree but from what I've been able to garner the salmon and trout farming operations use a considerable amount of medicated feed during part of the farming process. In ALL livestock in Canada there is a 'down time' where animals that have had to be medicated for one reason or another or who have been on regular medications are not allowed to be slaughtered for consumption until the 'medications' are out of their system. Where my concerns lie are with the close confines and cleanliness of the environment fish-stock are farmed in. Some how I find it a bit daunting to eating fish raised in their own 'Bouillabaisse'.

[pepsilover]

A feared viral disease proven deadly in Norwegian fish farms has been confirmed for the first time by federal scientists studying farmed salmon in B.C.

Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) has been linked to the deaths of up to 20 per cent of stock at some Norwegian farms.

"The concern is that it is a disease that hasn't previously been detected in B.C. and at the present time we really don't have sufficient evidence to know if it causes mortality or is a production issue here," said Kristi Miller, part of a team of federal scientists studying farmed fish samples from sites along the B.C. coast.

Full article
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3593958

Thanks for posting this article. From the link, this is the true bottom line, and the same bottom line that is a concern regarding GMO salmon:

"The fear is that the virus will spread to wild fish once it gets into the open ocean."

Once that happens, all bets are off. We need to stop messing with nature.

[pepsilover]

Is this farmed salmon industry simply driven by greedy people.... they don't seem to have a concern in the world about disease in their fish or more importantly, the risk that their industry presents to wild salmon. Salmon farming should only be allowed if the ponds are completely disconnected from the ocean and from our rivers and streams. We are maybe bound and determined to destroy our resources... farmed salmon and inadequate protection against invasive mussels come to mind.

I think you are right that this industry is driven by greedy people, but I believe the greedy people are all of us. People want their salmon. As long as the demand is there, somebody is going to find a way to get it to us. I do not eat farmed salmon for a number of reasons, and I only eat wild salmon once in awhile. We need to stop messing with nature and quit messing up our waterways and blocking areas where salmon are trying to get to, to spawn. It's a huge topic area, but all boils down to greed, both the industrialists and we the people. Entitlement. A sign of our times apparently.

[pepsilover]

Treblehook, what bugs the be-jingos out of me is that animals kept in these conditions are often fed medicated feeds. Now, recently that's been addressed in traditional livestock to a degree but from what I've been able to garner the salmon and trout farming operations use a considerable amount of medicated feed during part of the farming process. In ALL livestock in Canada there is a 'down time' where animals that have had to be medicated for one reason or another or who have been on regular medications are not allowed to be slaughtered for consumption until the 'medications' are out of their system. Where my concerns lie are with the close confines and cleanliness of the environment fish-stock are farmed in. Some how I find it a bit daunting to eating fish raised in their own 'Bouillabaisse'.

What concerns me is that this virus has apparently only been recognized once the farmed salmon is dead. How many have the disease and are being processed and sold for our consumption? Can they test for this virus and do they? I highly doubt that they test every fish sold for consumption. And there are no studies I am guessing about the effects of this virus on the human body. Our food supply is quickly becoming nothing but a crap shoot.

[Treblehook]

There was no mention as to whether this "deadly virus" poses a threat to humans when consumed. My take on it was that the virus was deadly to the fish themselves. Of course if any diseased fish were to escape to the wild, it spreads to wild salmon. What a travesty... a disaster that would be. I used the term greed in my initial post because it sure seems that the people who are in this farmed salmon industry are quite willing to take that risk in order to make their profits. Our governments seem unwilling to take a hard stand and to create legislation that would guarantee that no farmed fish could escape to the wild... and government reluctance is undoubtedly linked to getting votes. Messing with nature is a gross understatement in this case.

[Barney Google]

I am sure there is no one out there that would knowingly eat any animal, fish or vegetable that has been exposed to a disease that has the potential of killing them OR that has been sick or died from the same. I am opposed to the fish that have died from, or been exposed to, this disease being used for pet food or fertilizer.

The Fish Farming concept has always been a dubious one for me. Promoted as a way to provide a less expensive alternative to wild caught fish and touted as being more environmentally conscious as a sustainable choice by 'not depleting natural wild stock' is a marketing approach I am extremely skeptical of.