The Facts about ISA Virus found in British Columbia salmon

[AquacultureAwareness]

UPDATE December 19th, 2011 - Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) confirm at the Cohen Commission Fraser River Salmon Inquiry that NO ISA VIRUS has been found in BC salmon.

Sampling will continue "to determine the absence/presence of three diseases of trade significance … [and] to support international trade negotiations by making [a] disease-freedom declaration that will stand international scrutiny.” (Globe & Mail, December 20th, 2011)

[benwaofwa]

More testing and time will tell the tale of the affects of the ISA virus. It may or may not have a significant affect upon wild salmon, but it is time to stand up for wild salmon and eliminate the risk factors that farms introduce.

[AquacultureAwareness]

@benwaofwa Are you suggesting that we eliminate hatchery and farmed salmon from BC? Are you suggesting that the USA eliminate hatchery and farmed salmon as well? Are you suggesting that wild salmon would be better off by being the only option for salmon consumption? Please do share your long term vision for wild salmon - we are very interested.

[AquacultureAwareness]

UPDATE (CFIA) November 8th - Today, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported that follow up testing confirmed NO VIRUS found in BC farmed or wild salmon. They are now continuing their investigation into the chain of custody of the original samples (in other words, tampering or just crap procedures by people (statisticians and 'honorary' biologists) who don't know how to conduct a basic science experiment)

[Alaskrab]

ISA is here. There have been more tests done. There are more being done. DFO and the fish farming companies can't hide it or deny it much longer. Closed containment is the answer.

[wildsalmonhero]

Dr. Fred Kibenge of the ISA reference laboratory at the Atlantic Veterinary College in P.E.I. made the diagnosis...my understanding is that his lab is one of two in the world that can properly test for ISA....are you insinuating that he doesn't know how or didn't do the test properly?

[wildsalmonhero]

BTW....the ISA samples were not destroyed as you claim in your video.....the CFIA picked them up yesterday to do their own testing....a picture was taken with the CFIA guy, holding up his business card and the samples,....check it out, and then perhaps change that statement in your video....very misleading,....makes it look like there is some kind of deception on the part of credible scientists!

[wildsalmonhero]

I'm sorry to disappoint you...and me....when we heard about disease testing at the cohen commission it was lacking to say the least....the lowest standards for any type of animal husbandry in the country....and imagine the murmers in the courtroom when we learned they did only one type of "unreliable" testing for ISA, and the samples were from about 5 fresh silvers per farm, a number that fell far short of the 60 fish per 100,000 that we heard should be sampled for a more thorough test!

[wildsalmonhero]

I'm not making this up....look it up for yourself...Dr. Mark Sheppard purgered himself on the stand when it was already old news that the Chilean virus had been brought in with an imported egg....when questioned, he actually said a couple of times that it was "pure speculation"....and emails between Kristi Miller and vets plainly showed her frustration at their not "believing" in ISA...don't you remember, or weren't you there?

[AquacultureAwareness]

UPDATE (CFIA) October 21 - The recent reports stating that ISA has been found in BC salmon have not yet been verified by federal officials through established processes. After initial investigations, we are concerned that proper protocols may not have been followed in the testing and reporting of these findings....

[Alaskrab]

UPDATE - Any "Federal official" is being paid by the DFO.....crooooooked.

[AquacultureAwareness]

(con't)

CFIA and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are working to assess the results through scientifically sound and internationally recognized procedures, which must include additional testing to verify the presence or absence of ISA virus in these samples.

The CFIA and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have been able to acquire additional tissue samples from the 48 sample fish. The national ISA reference laboratory in Moncton will analyze these samples.

[gaelforcewinds]

Unfortunately, you, or Mr Marty's audio clips, did not answer ANY of my specific questions.

[AquacultureAwareness]

@gaelforcewinds Then you should review the Cohen Commission database and evidence. Fish health testing on wild, hatchery and farm-raised salmon was much discussed. Sure you can find your answer there! I'm sure you 'science-minded types' would enjoy reading the interesting science documents on the Cohen Commission site!

[gaelforcewinds]

Please don't say you agree with something I did not say. More tests need to be done on MORE fish, not the same ones!

Will you name & explain the specific tests that you use and post lab results for us science-minded types. Where done, by who? I am in conversation with OIE-approved test lab personnel and would like to also get their opinion.

Did every specific fish that Mr Marty see lesions on really get this very specific testing for specifically the ISAV? Or was it "regular testing"? Thanks.

[AquacultureAwareness]

@gaelforcewinds The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced today that it conducting further analysis on the samples and results should be available within weeks.

For answers to your other questions, a good source is the radio recording we have compiled on our website (click the link on our YouTube home page). Go to 'Media/Audio Vault' and listen to Dr. Gary Marty (Oct 17 and 20) speak about his research, sampling procedures and results.

[gaelforcewinds]

This video clip is NOT CORRECT. The first test, real time RT-PCR, revealed ISAV. Then, a second test was done to determine genotype which showed it was the European genotype. I have seen the lab results.

It's not time to quibble, it is time for everyone to work together, and all tests should be done AT an OIE approved lab, by an ISA expert. (as these were done). There are two: one in PEI, one in Norway.

[AquacultureAwareness]

@gaelforcewinds We certainly agree that verification of the test should be done. However, this has not been yet and therefore not OiE confirmed, and is contrary to what Mr. Routledge states. Please be specific as to what you may feel is incorrect.

[wildsalmonhero]

I sat in on the Cohen commission and what I heard was that yes....the farms do test for disease....however since their veterinarians don't "believe" in ISA and went on to testify that the Chilean virus caused by an imported egg was just "pure speculation"...yeah...I know!...so even when 23 of 24 fish tested at the connville bay site showed "severe symptoms" of ISA, they are still listed as an "open" case because of course the fish farm vets don't believe in the disease!!!

[AquacultureAwareness]

@wildsalmonhero Yes, you are correct, regular testing over the past 8 years has concluded no presence of the ISA virus in BC farmed salmon. The sample size and sample methods exceed OiE (World Authority) recommendations.

The rest of your thoughts expressed is pure speculation on your part. To suggest that veterinarians (professionals in the field of animal health who follow ethical standards) don't "believe in the disease" is, quite frankly, nonsense.

Thanks for commenting.

[Alaskrab]

It's a crock of shit. At some point the people of BC, and Alaska, Oregon, California, and Washington for that matter are going to have to take a heavy stand for Wild Pacific Salmon. The DFO, and the government of Canada are committing some pretty serious crimes here. They need to be taken down! Lying and cheating are one thing, but stealing such a valuable resource (that is our identity) is beyond acceptable.