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[Dave]

So that's a no.
I agree we should not be complacent, however imo there are far greater dangers to Pacific salmon, especially Fraser fish.
I also personally know DFO'S lead scientist who works on this issue and have huge respect for his integrity. In other words I believe him over Almo and the others with their anti salmon farming rhetoric.

[RalphH]

That's fair enough Dave. As yet there is no indication PRV is a major threat.Salmon face so many threats it's hard to know which one's to prioritize or even change.

However I am very much against the Salmon Farm industry PR campaigns which IMO are essentially anti-science . Disagreements among scientists and contradictions within the body of research are common. The involvement of those with direct financial interests are invariably negative. In the worst cases it's lead to unnecessary suffering and death,ie tobacco and cigarettes yet the major tobacco companies still deny there is a link to health issues. The salmon Farming industry seems to use a similar playbook in response to critics. I also think DFO has been placed in an untenable conflict of interest as has been confirmed in many studies and Royal Commission investigations

[RalphH]

For 10 years DFO blocked publication of studies sponsored by DFO  such as that by Dr Kristi Miller-Saunders that found a link between PRV and disease in wild salmon. Dr Miller-Saunders says that “It is really a travesty that the study could not come to light 10 years ago, and that the findings associated with this virus have been so contentious in Canada, as the role that this virus plays in disease development in salmon in other countries is not disputed”

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-federal-salmon-study-that-found-viruses-at-fish-farms-released-10/

https://thetyee.ca/News/2022/05/13/DFO-Suppresses-Science-Pushes-Salmon-Farms/

In another study published last month DFO states that the lack of statistical significance between sea lice populations and salmon farms means that sea lice infestations cannot "solely be explained" by the presence of farms. Please note that they did not say the lack of statistical significance proves fish farms do not cause such infestations but there may be other factors.

Not considered is the fact that since the collapse of a entire year's return of pink salmon in the Brougton Archipelago, salmon farms have been required to follow sea lice protocols that include  monitoring lice densities around the farm pens, the use of anti-lice pesticides and even moving farm pens away from salmon migration pathways.  Please note that even without such controls we have no assurance that farms are not part of the cause for harmful lice infestations:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dfo-study-sea-lice-1.6724476

[RalphH]

‘Serious scientific failings’: experts slam DFO report downplaying threat of salmon farms
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada study found no significant link between sea lice at B.C. salmon farms and on wild salmon, prompting scientists to express ‘professional dismay’

"one of the worst pieces of science I’ve ever seen come out of a government agency..."

 On January 30, he and 15 other academic scientists wrote to Fisheries and Oceans Minister Joyce Murray to share their “professional dismay at serious scientific failings” in the report.

“This report falls far short of the standards of credible independent peer review and publishable science,” the letter, which was made public Thursday, says.

There are over 30 peer-reviewed scientific papers from B.C. that link sea lice on wild juvenile salmon with salmon farms, and many more papers internationally,” the scientists note.

The DFO report “in no way overturns the accumulated scientific evidence that salmon farms are one of the primary drivers of sea louse infestations on nearby wild juvenile salmon,” they write.​​

https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-dfo-sea-lice-report/

Within the last 10 years it was common for Salmon Farming industry spokes people and associated public individuals to claim there was not a single peer reviewed scientific paper that had established a direct link between salmon farming and harmful sea lice infestations in BC. Now there are dozens yet DFO and the Industry continues to down play or even ignore this body of evidence.

[Easywater]

Ha, I was sick for a few days and had time to stir the pot.

Went to the beach a few days ago and ran into a nice woman I know and have been preoccupied for a bit.

Glad to see others pick up the torch against all the bs that gets posted here by the pro-farmers and DFO-types.

[RalphH]

'A scientific sin': 16 Canadian salmon scientists claim DFO sea lice report was manipulated

16 scientists slam a recent DFO report that found salmon farms had an "insignificant" impact on wild salmon infestations — claiming the report's authors cherry-picked data, ignored scientific consensus and failed to consult with experts outside the department.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/a-scientific-sin-16-canadian-salmon-scientists-claim-dfo-sea-lice-report-was-manipulated-6493604

I think a spirited scientific debate is long past due on the role of salmon farms and disease/parasite effects on salmon. For too long it was based on what the section of DFO that supports the farms said. To say otherwise was to be muzzled. That's exactly what happened to me some years ago when I was told "you can't say..." such and such. Time for change.

[wildmanyeah]

'A scientific sin': 16 Canadian salmon scientists claim DFO sea lice report was manipulated

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/a-scientific-sin-16-canadian-salmon-scientists-claim-dfo-sea-lice-report-was-manipulated-6493604

I think a spirited scientific debate is long past due on the role of salmon farms and disease/parasite effects on salmon. For too long it was based on what the section of DFO that supports the farms said. To say otherwise was to be muzzled. That's exactly what happened to me some years ago when I was told "you can't say..." such and such. Time for change.

there is lots they cant say for example dfo cannot say how much is allocated to each band for FSC.

Where did you work Ralph?

[Fisherbob]

https://youtu.be/sEF4qtxjwyM
Dr. Simon Jones - Impacts of Parasites on Wild Salmon Populations

[Fisherbob]

https://youtu.be/dXtzo1eoqp4
Dr. Sonja Saskdia - Major Diseases in Wild Salmon and Transmission from Salmon Farms

[Easywater]

Good, now shut down the rest of the 750 fish farms in BC.
https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/15-bc-salmon-farms-closed/wcm/ae4fa1f0-816d-4374-996e-f43615791b5e

Fisheries Department to shut 15 salmon farms off B.C.’s coast to protect wild fish

[wildmanyeah]

Good, now shut down the rest of the 750 fish farms in BC.
https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/15-bc-salmon-farms-closed/wcm/ae4fa1f0-816d-4374-996e-f43615791b5e

Fisheries Department to shut 15 salmon farms off B.C.’s coast to protect wild fish

750 lol did you even read what you posted

there's 79 farms left

"Fisheries and Oceans said last summer that open-net salmon farms may continue operating during a consultation process, with the final plan to transition 79 farms expected to be released later in the year."

[Easywater]

You're right - I did a Google search a few weeks ago that said 750 but that included shellfish farms.

It's even better than I thought - should be a simple matter to close the remaining few.

[wildmanyeah]

yeah everyone thinks there is thousands of farms lining our coast.

there is not

its why removing them isent going to increase salmon numbers anywhere near what the anti fish farm lobby has sold them on

[Fisherbob]

https://seawestnews.com/controversial-salmon-farming-decision-heads-back-to-court/

[wildmanyeah]

https://seawestnews.com/controversial-salmon-farming-decision-heads-back-to-court/

Not unexpected but i thought they probably would not challenge this one.