Thanks for all this SS but one always have to remember that science and people as a whole have made so many mistakes in the past and it is because of this the environment is in the mess it is today. History shows that.
We can be so thankful we have people that Alex and others that keep doing the work they do. Simple statements I know but one can not dispute that, well I do not think others can.
It is interesting you have mentioned science and people as a whole have made so many mistakes; however, wouldn't that include the science portrayed here also:
http://salmonconfidential.ca/I mean that was produced by scientists also...You can't blame science for the failings of society or say it is "questionable" (without thinking about it critically) when you disagree with it then embrace it when it suits you.
What you need to know is that two of the references I posted were used in Ms Morton's own blog. She uses them as justification for her lawsuit against the Federal Government and Marine Harvest. However, the difference is that Ms Morton either does not read the whole paper or she selectively takes what she wants from them to align with her opinion (I say it is the latter). Don't take my word for it, Chris. Read those references and see what they are saying.
I am passionate about having the facts of the matter presented here. Clearly, Ms Morton is not interested in them. While PRV has been found to be associated with HSMI it does not mean that it causes HSMI. If that were true that would mean that fish with high concentrations of PRV would develop HSMI. As I have clearly shown you from the literature (including Ms Morton's own references) that is simply not the case. To date, no farmed or wild salmon has been diagnosed with HSMI.
What is interesting from Morton's theory about PRV and HSMI is that she is suggesting that this may be the reason that adult Fraser Sockeye are having difficult time migrating upstream (i.e. HSMI causing "mushy" hearts). If you read the literature from Norway that Morton loves to quote it describes the timing of HSMI and concentration of PRV at various life stages. The fact is that HSMI primarily impacts younger fish - not adult fish. So, how does a deadly disease (i.e. HSMI) skip past the juvenile stage, where it is known to impact them, then magically appears to negatively impact the adult stage? Secondly, making that link with salmon carcasses that have been exposed to the elements for undetermined amount of time ignores the natural processes (putrefaction and autolysis) these adult salmon experience when they enter freshwater. Migrating salmon are putting all their resources into migrating and reproduction - not in body maintenance. You can' t just see a "mushy-looking" heart in a salmon carcass and say that it has to be caused by HSMI. That is like saying if someone is bleeding internally then they must be suffering from Ebola. You also cannot ignore the migratory physiology work (over 12 years) done by Scott Hinch and his team. Before saying something is suspicious one has to rule out what is naturally going on in the background. The proper histological examination work has to done also.
Lastly, you have to remember that PRV sequence has only recently been reported in 2010. It is quite possible that PRV has been around our waters for sometime, but we have not been looking for it.