It would not be such a bad idea if Morton’s crew knew what they were doing and were not trying to work backwards trying to make the data fit their conclusions; however, their performance so far has been pretty amateur with very little transparency – especially their methodology. This should include adequate sample sizes, proper preservation techniques and following a proper chain of custody. Personally, I do not find it comforting that individuals that do not know what they are doing are going to be training people on how to take biological samples from salmon so they can be tested for diseases.
If you look at the Department of Wild Salmon website they are very detailed on the reasons for their existence, but vague on actual sampling specifics or any detailed plan/proposal. Even their maps which are supposed to show details of the sampling done to date are mediocre and misleading (i.e. The red markers are supposed to represent ISAv positive results not ISA if you read their own text that accompanies the map. There is a difference between a virus and a disease. In addition, ISA has not been confirmed). Lab results from recent discoveries of alphavirus and reoviruses are still not on their website. The conclusions from those results were quickly made on Ms Morton website, but the actual results have never been released (sampling was done back in March). I find it difficult to find them credible if they are not very transparent themselves. Lastly, if they hope to get money or access to certain facilities (and fish they have) in order to do the work they hope to do they need to get their act together. Detailed proposals that clearly outline what they plan to do, how they are going to do it and why they want to do it would be a good start. At this rate they would be extremely lucky to even get a simple fish sampling permit. The reason “why” is not so easy as it seems because that involves trying to convince the person on the other side of the table that you know what you are talking about.