47 days until a decision must be made: reports of sea lice and pathogens

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - As we get closer to June 30, when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has to decide whether to reissue the licenses for 79 British Columbian salmon farms, independent biologist Alexandra Morton points to yet more problems.

A recent Global and Mail article revealed the existence of a decade old Department of Fisheries (DFO) report about the ‘transmission of the PRV virus from farmed to wild salmon.’

Morton said the fish farm industry has exceeded the three lice per fish threshold every week since the out-migration season began on March first. Two to five active farms have exceeded that limit every week, for the past five weeks. Morton claims that no sooner had the industry brought the lice on one farm under control, than another exceeds the limit.

“DFO recognizes that sea lice breeding on salmon farms is a threat to young wild salmon because in the conditions of license, they asked the industry to stay below three adult lice per farm fish to protect the young wild salmon,” she said.

A spokesperson for the BC Farmer’s Association emailed,” During the out-migration window, sea lice counts must be conducted within the first week of the window – and once every 2 weeks thereafter. The results of each counting event must be submitted to DFO by the 15th of the following month. If the sea lice count exceeds the threshold of 3 lice per fish, DFO must be notified within 48 hours – and a plan must be presented describing the sea lice management measures that will be undertaken to reduce sea lice levels below the threshold level within 42 days.”

Morton says this 42 loophole effectively eliminates the 3 lice per fish limit

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