INDEPENDENT CONSERVATION COUNCIL URGES "SAFE PASSAGE" FOR PINK SALMON, RAISES CONCERN OVER POTENTIAL IMPACT OF SALMON AQUACULTURE AND SEA LICE
Vancouver, November 25, 2002 - Today the Pacific
Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (PFRCC) issued an advisory to
Canada's and British Columbia's Fisheries Ministers warning that there
were dramatic decreases in the numbers of spawning pink salmon in the
Broughton Archipelago and raising concerns over the potential impact of
salmon aquaculture and sea lice.
The PFRCC recommends that Canada and BC undertake urgent actions to
maximize the chance of safe passage of fish through the Broughton
Archipelago during April 2003. To obtain the PFRCC's 2002 Advisory: The Protection of Broughton Archipelago Pink Salmon Stocks, go to: www.fish.bc.ca.
In his letter to Ministers, PFRCC Chair the Honourable John A. Fraser, explained that the Council's primary concern is "to
protect and provide safe passage for the 2002 pink salmon brood year on
their seaward migration through the Broughton Archipelago. In numerical
terms, the number of pink salmon spawners in the Broughton Archipelago
decreased from 3.615 million fish to 147 thousand fish."
Mr. Fraser goes on to state: "Spawner declines were virtually
confined to the Broughton Archipelago leading us to conclude that the
decrease was specific to conditions in the Broughton and was related to
conditions within the Broughton Archipelago. There is evidence that the
Broughton pink juveniles were infested with sea lice, a condition
essentially unreported for juvenile pink salmon in the natural
environment elsewhere."
"While scientific certainty is not absolute, European research does
indicate that sea lice abundance can be associated with salmon farming.
Given this evidence, combined with the presence of sea lice on
Broughton Archipelago pink salmon smolts, and the fact the decline in
numbers was limited to Broughton Archipelago fish, the Council believes
that sea lice were associated with the decline observed in the
Broughton Archipelago."
On behalf of the Council, Mr. Fraser concludes: "Where there is
a risk of serious or irreversible harm, the precautionary approach
calls for action based on the best evidence available. In this case the
absence of any evidence of some other causes than sea lice justifies
action."
Options for action include:
Fallowing of all salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago.
Given the life cycle of sea lice it would be necessary that fallowing
(temporary removal of salmon from the sea pens) be completed 6 weeks
prior to pink salmon entering the marine environment. As the salmon may
enter the marine environment as early as mid-April, fallowing should be
complete by the end of February 2003.
Implementation of rigorous sea lice control measures on the salmon farms that are geared to protecting wild fish.
Consistent with the intent of Canada's Oceans Act, all stakeholders
including government agencies should urgently and co-operatively
develop a Broughton Archipelago specific sea lice management (or
control) plan, which involves a variety of approaches including
fallowing, monitoring, and coordinated application of
chemotherapeutants by all Broughton farms to kill (not simply shed) the
sea lice.
The PFRCC recommends that should there be failure to reach
consensus on an appropriate sea lice control plan by mid-January, 2003
that government take action.
It should be noted that the Council believes the fallowing
option is the lower risk option and has the greatest likelihood of
improving passage conditions for juvenile wild salmon on their seaward
migration. Hence, consistent with Council's conservation mandate, the
fallowing of Broughton salmon farms is the Council's preferred option.
The Council also strongly advises that monitoring of the
environment, sea lice levels, and juvenile pink salmon be conducted
immediately. In addition, more research into the ecology and life
history of sea lice is required.
NOTE: The Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council has
commissioned the production of a report investigating the potential
impact of salmon aquaculture on wild salmon in British Columbia. The
report will focus on the science associated with salmon aquaculture
issues that are most closely related to wild salmon and wild salmon
habitat. The report will be released to governments and the public at
the end of 2002.
The Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council was established
in 1998. Its role is to provide independent, strategic advice and
relevant information to Canada's and British Columbia's fisheries
ministers as well as to the Canadian public on the status and long-term
sustainable use of wild salmon stocks and their freshwater and ocean
habitats.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Brian Riddell
Science Advisor Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council
250-714-5599
John Paul Fraser
Media Liaison Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council
604-775-5789
fraser@fish.bc.c
Related Reports:
Protection of Broughton Archipelago Pink Salmon Stocks: Council Advisory 2002 (The)