Sea lice from salmon farms ecological disaster

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Sea lice from salmon farms - ecological disaster?
Lepeophtheirus salmonis
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The Problem

• Survival of wild pink Pacific salmon off the
  northeast coast of Vancouver Island is at risk
  due to sea-lice outbreaks around salmon farms.
• The fish-farm industry refuses to provide safe
  passage for wild salmon around their farms to
  help ensure their survival say local First
  Nations and conservationists.
• 81 of fish farmed in B.C. are Atlantic salmon
  and over 2 million of these have escaped into
  B.C. waters.

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Background information

• Sea lice are small parasites that may be found
  in both wild and farmed fish.
• Sea lice feed by grazing on the mucous and skin
  of the fish.
• Sea lice can be present on fish with little to no
  impact on their health and survival.
• If lice accumulate and/or the health of the fish
  is compromised then sea lice can potentially
  affect the survival of fish.

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Background information

• Sea lice can be transferred between wild and
  farmed fish stocks.
• The B.C. ministry monitors the amount of
  antibiotics and other treatments prescribed by
  veterinarians in the control of diseases and
  pests like sea lice.
• There are no pesticides used in the aquaculture
  industry in British Columbia.
• There is no risk to human health. Sea lice live
  on the outside of fish. They are not eaten
  because they fall off or are cleaned off by the
  fishermen after the fish is caught or harvested.

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Sea Lice Infestation
mmmm..
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The Problem

• An unprecedented outbreak of sea lice at salmon
  farms in the the Broughton decimated eight runs
  of pink Pacific salmon in 2001 - putting them on
  the brink of extinction
• A safe passage is required - salmon are vital
  food source for bears, whales, other salmon
  species, and even the forests

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The problem

• Survival of wild pink salmon off the northeast
  coast of Vancouver Island is at risk due to
  sea-lice outbreaks around salmon farms

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The Solution

• Two companies, Stolt Sea Farms and Heritage
  Aquaculture, operate 27 farms in the Broughton
  Archipelago.
• Leaving fish pens on at least one wild salmon
  migration route empty from February to July would
  reduce infestation but the companies refuse,
  preferring to treat their stocks with veterinary
  prescribed drug in fish food (SLICE) 
• There are 79 fish farms on B.C. coast

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The Solution

• Studies show that SLICE can be harmful to
  shellfish so the possible effect on local shrimp
  and crabs is unknown.
• Farmed salmon are able to consume only 2-10
  percent of the antibiotics that are thrown into
  the netcages.
• 74 to 100 percent of the wild fish that are
  caught near fish farms contain
  antibiotics in their flesh
• Government says aggressive treatment and priority
  monitoring support the strategic fallowing and
  accelerated harvesting already in place to
  provide a clear route for young salmon to migrate
  out to sea.
• Since February, no new salmon farms have been
  sited in B.C. The government is also in the
  process of relocating poorly sited farms.

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What can be done?

• Monitor farms - control infestations
• Consider routes of wild salmon
• Learn from past - control escapes, compromise?
• Should salmon farms exist on the B.C. coast?

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Final ThoughtShould you support this industry
and eat Farmed Salmon?

• Eat Salmon? .Think again....
• Environmental impacts of Salmon Farming.

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References

• http//www.marine.ie/scientificservices/monitorin
  g/sealice/
• http//www.creativeresistance.ca/awareness01/2003-
  jan28-sea-lice-from-salmon-farming-leading-to-ecol
  ogical-disaster-david-suzuki-foundation.htm
• http//www.agf.gov.bc.ca/fisheries/health/sea_lice
  .htm
• http//www2.news.gov.bc.ca/nrm_news_releases/2003A
  GF0005-000201.htm
• http//resist.ca/story/2003/1/13/91422/0547
• http//www.livingoceans.org/netcage_facts.htm