Media releases

This week marks the first anniversary of the federal government taking regulatory control of the province's aquaculture industry - and BC's salmon farmers are looking forward to a new year that will see the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations more established.

"The transition last year was a big one -it required a lot of work from many people," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. "We look forward to seeing these regulations settle more into place as we continue to move forward."

In February of 2009, the BC Supreme Court ruled that aquaculture should be under federal regulatory control rather than the previous provincially-led regulatory program. Following an extension in early 2010, the official transfer date was Dec. 18, 2010.

While the regulated requirements for BC's salmon farms in many areas stayed the same as they were with the province, there remained alterations that needed to be worked through - such as changes in staff contacts, reporting procedures and the inspection process.

One of the biggest changes in the public eye has been quarterly reporting of information about egg imports, sea lice, marine mammal interactions, incidental catch and escapes. While quarterly fish health reports were made available by the province while it was in regulatory control, the BCSFA feels this additional reporting is a good step, though it can be challenging to put in context since the BC industry is the only food production business providing this level of data publicly.

With the first year under their belt, members of the BCSFA hope to see more streamlining of the regulatory process in 2012. Delays in the review of license amendments create challenges for our companies. The single-year fishing licenses granted now create uncertainty for the businesses - pointing to the need for more aquaculture-specific legislation.

"Salmon farmers are always looking for ways to improve our business - that means making sure our operations are sustainable but also enabling our businesses to continue to be successful," said Walling. "We hope to continue working with DFO to find clear paths that ensure all parties' expectations are met."

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For more information:
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director
(250) 286-1636 x223

Further follow up testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency continues to confirm that there is no Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) in British Columbia.

The news is welcomed by the BC Salmon Farmers Association, whose members have been seriously affected by the misleading information presented to the public of BC by irresponsible activists who continually seek to damage the reputation of our responsible farming community.

"We are glad to see the CFIA's quick response to these initial reports," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BCSFA.   "It is good to see that our testing results - which have never shown a presence of ISA - have been validated by CFIA's extensive follow-up on these reports."

In mid-October, a press release from Simon Fraser University trumpeted two presumptive positive results in Sockeye salmon from Rivers Inlet - 100 km north of the nearest salmon farm. Those involved in the release insisted this was proof ISA was present and said the source was salmon aquaculture.

BC's salmon farmers however, have been testing for the disease regularly since 2002 and have never found ISA. The CFIA release today stated that after reviewing that sampling program, they are confident in those results.

Follow-up testing to that initial release showed that the positives were not repeatable- a key piece to any diagnostic process. Hundreds of samples have been tested , and no iSA has been found. Follow up testing on the initial positives has also shown no ISA to be present.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing used to identify ISA is prone to false positives, which is why follow-up testing is always so important in identifying its presence. For more info on PCR testing, click here.

"This is certainly an example of people with a clear agenda manipulating the scientific process to create unsubstantiated fear about our industry," said Walling.  "There's good reason why testing for disease like this includes a follow-up procedure, and it was irresponsible of those activists and institutions involved in the first release to act without respect for this process."

BC salmon farmers were also relieved to hear comment from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans regarding a paper leaked to media earlier this week, reportedly showing evidence of ISA many years ago. The BCSFA had never heard of the paper before these reports. According to a statement from DFO follow up testing to that report had shown no presence of ISA.

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

To read the press release from CFIA, click here.
To read the Ministerial statement from the DFO, click here.
To read the backgrounder on how DFO protects aquaculture species from disease, click here .

For more information
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director, BCSFA
(250) 286-1636 x223

Latest figures released by BC's salmon farms regarding incidental catch of wild fish show operators are very near their goal of eliminating these interactions completely.

The amount of bycatch from BC's salmon farms represented less than 0.001 per cent of the industry's harvest in quarter two of 2011, according to numbers released by the BC Salmon Farmers Association.

That number includes all incidental catch that died during harvests in 2011. When including any bycatch that was caught and live released, the percentage reaches 0.02 per cent.

"Our farmers have implemented important practices to minimize the amount of incidental catch that happens during harvest," said Mary Ellen Walling. "These numbers really show how small that interaction has become as a result of changes that safely separate wild fish from farm stock during handling events."

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as part of the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations program has committed to releasing information each quarter on topics such as escapes, sea lice, egg imports and incidental catch. To provide some context to that information, salmon farmers of the BCSFA have agreed to release this percentage number as well for each quarter.

The United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Fisheries Service used a similar calculation in a new bycatch report released in September this year. In that report, the ratio of fish bycatch to total fish catch for all fisheries was at 17 per cent in 2005 - in their 'Pacific Northwest/Alaska' area, it was seven per cent. In BC, incidental catch information is not released for wild fisheries in this way.

The number is calculated by determining the ratio of bycatch weight to the weight of the quarterly harvest for each of Marine Harvest Canada, Mainstream Canada, Grieg Seafood and Creative Salmon. The number was then combined to provide an industry average.

"We're providing a huge amount of information to the public compared to other food production industries in Canada," said Walling. "It's important that as a part of this increased commitment, people get a full picture of what these numbers really mean."

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

To review information from DFO about incidental catch, click here.
To read the NOAA Bycatch Report, click here.

For more information:
Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director
(250) 286-1636 x223

Lawyers for the BC Salmon Farmers Association are presenting their final oral arguments to the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the decline of Fraser River Sockeye today.

"This has been a long, in-depth process that has highlighted the complex questions around wild salmon survival," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BCSFA. "We hope it will assist British Columbians to have a better understanding of the seafood industry in their province."

The Commission of Inquiry into the decline of the Fraser River Sockeye salmon was established in November 2009. In April 2010, the BCSFA was granted participant status in the commission which included aquaculture within its extensive terms of references. Public hearings began in October 2010 to examine a number of topics including aquaculture, fish biology, urbanization, logging, hydro, changes in ocean currents and climate change.

In that time, the BCSFA has contributed thousands of documents to the commission and heard from many experts. The process has been a challenging one both in staff resources and financial costs for the association and its members.

"We agree that this is an important process and it was very important for us to present our information and knowledge before the commission," said Walling. "The evidence corrects much of the misinformation about our industry."

Last week, Justice Cohen announced hearings will be re-opened in December to review suspect findings of ISAv in British Columbia. Information about ISAv and the nearly 5000 farm samples that have tested negative for the virus has already been presented to the commission. The BCSFA is eager to see the CFIA's follow-up testing complete and released.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association represents farmers as well as those who provide supplies and services to the industry, which employs 6,000 people directly and indirectly and contributes $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

To contact a BCSFA spokesperson in Vancouver, phone Colleen Dane, Communications Manager, BCSFA (250) 203-1532.

For more information
Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director
BC Salmon Farmers Association
(250) 203-2974

It's an important local activity and yet it can't be seen easily by many area residents: that's why improving understanding of salmon farming in BC has been highlighted as a goal during Aquaculture Awareness Week in Campbell River.

"Our farmers are proud of the contribution we make to coastal communities and it's important to them that people understand what we do and how important it is that we do it well," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association.

In July, Campbell River council approved a proclamation for Aquaculture Awareness Week Sept. 19-23, following a request by the BC Salmon Farmers Association. The proclamation recognizes the important role that aquaculture - particularly salmon farming - plays in Campbell River and the BCSFA's goal of better educating the public about their members' operations and opportunities.

The BCSFA engages in many public events to share information about the industry: including four food shows a year, Oceans Day, the PNE, presentations to community organizations, public farm tours and more.

This week, the BCSFA will host its Annual General Meeting - drawing colleagues from across Canada to talk about the latest projects and innovations of the industry, both globally and nationally. Gold sponsor for this year's event is feed company Skretting North America, bronze sponsors include Creative Salmon, Grieg Seafood, EWOS Canada and Northen Ropes.

A trivia contest about BC's salmon farming industry will run in both local papers, and be posted to the BCSFA website Sept. 21. There will also be awards of recognition given to some Island residents who have done a lot to learn about and support this important business.

"We take very seriously the need to inform the public about salmon farming in BC," said Walling. "Having a week where we highlight this as a priority for us and the community is a good motivation to keep focusing on education about salmon farming."

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For more information:
Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director
(250) 286-1636 x223

VANCOUVER, Aug. 22, 2011 - The BC Salmon Farmers Association is ready for the aquaculture hearing days, beginning August 25, 2011 at the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the decline of Fraser River Sockeye salmon.

After months of hearings on the decline of the Fraser River Sockeye salmon and a wide range of possible impacts including fisheries management, habitat protection, the Sockeye lifecycle etc., it is now aquaculture's turn as the topic of focus. Members of the BCSFA are scheduled to appear as witnesses on August 31, September 7 and 8, and representatives from the association will attend all nine days of hearings.

"We have been actively participating in the Cohen Commission process since it started nearly two years ago and we are ready to help correct the misconceptions and misinformation regarding our BC salmon farms," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association.

To assist in the commission's process, the BCSFA has provided all of the information that the Cohen Commission requested, including years of raw data about fish health on BC salmon farms.  This information was previously also released to the public through ongoing reports by regulators.

"Justice Bruce Cohen has covered a lot of ground in his inquiry into the decline of wild Sockeye salmon, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can, to help with his ultimate goal of making recommendations to protect our wild Fraser River Sockeye," added Walling.

The Commission of Inquiry into the decline of the Fraser River Sockeye salmon was established in November 2009. In April 2010, the BCSFA was granted participant status in the commission, which included aquaculture within its extensive terms of references. Public hearings began in October 2010 and this process continues to examine a number of topics including aquaculture, fish biology, urbanization, logging, hydro, changes in ocean currents and climate change.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association represents farmers as well as those who provide supplies and services to the industry, which employs 6,000 people directly and indirectly and contributes $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For further information:
Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director, BC Salmon Farmers Association (250) 203-2974

To contact a BCSFA spokesperson in Vancouver, please contact:
Colleen Dane, Communications Manager, BCSFA (250) 203-1532

A new inventory of research on salmon aquaculture in Canada has now been posted online and is available to the general public.

The Salmon Aquaculture Database is being hosted by the Aquaculture Association of Canada, which has a mandate to disseminate scientific and technical information on aquaculture in Canada, following its development for the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) with funding from the federal government.

"This is a great resource for anyone who wants a clear idea of the research that has been completed regarding salmon farming in Canada," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. "It's really impressive to see the thousands of papers catalogued through the document."

CAIA members had identified the need for a database like this, and as a result a joint industry/government project was developed to provide funding through the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program (ACRDP) of DFO. The database itself was developed by the Coastal Aquaculture Research and Training (CART) Network, led by Dr. Stephen Cross of the University of Victoria, with input from stakeholders across Canada.

"The creation of this database is a significant step for knowledge transfer and sharing," said Ruth Salmon, CAIA Executive Director. "Not only does this forum provide free and open access to salmon aquaculture research, the database further reinforces transparency, consistency and cooperation across the aquaculture community."

The database right now is a review of primary literature, identifying about 3,000 references, spanning the past three decades of research. Each item is recorded by author, date, title, and a short annotation is provided for each entry.

Depending on further funding, future plans for the database include regular updates and transitioning it from an Excel document to a web-based, easily searchable format. There is also discussion around expanding this kind of project to other species.

To access the database, visit http://www.aquacultureassociation.ca/salmon-aquaculture-database

For more information
Colleen Dane
Communications Manager
(250) 286-1636 x225

Campbell River - The results of 2011's first quarter audit of the BC Salmon Farmers Association's fish health database has again confirmed the health of farmed salmon and absence of any exotic disease.

The results of the audit, conducted by the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences (CAHS), are posted online here. To complete each audit, the CAHS did its own sampling to compare against the regular sampling and testing carried out by each company's fish health technicians and veterinarians. Their results are compared to the BCSFA's database of results to ensure its accuracy. The same is done for regular sea lice counts.

"The integrity of our fish health plans - which include monitoring, treatment, sampling, testing, reporting and auditing - is key to our responsible operations as farmers," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. "It's important to have outside experts review our work to ensure our effectiveness - both for the safety of our fish and the natural environment."

Salmon farmers regularly test mortalities from their farms for pathogens. While some can be easily diagnosed, others require multiple steps to identify the cause. All fish health professionals - within industry and outside of it - are bound by regulations to report any suspicion of exotic disease. The extensive testing process has left no such concerns.

This quarter's report marks a full year since the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences assumed responsibility for this audit process, previously undertaken by the province's fish health department. The CAHS program was implemented to maintain consistency in these reviews during the transition of aquaculture regulations from the provincial to federal governments. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is now conducting the audits.

"The program is an important one - to give our farmers and the general public the confidence of extra scrutiny," said Walling. "As business people, we need our fish to be healthy - as coastal residents we want them to be healthy as well - it's the primary priority for us all."

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For More Information
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director, BCSFA
1-800-661-7256

Campbell River, BC - A new website launched today will bring together salmon farmers from around the world while educating the public about the benefits of this important industry.

The International Salmon Farmers Association (ISFA) revealed its new website, www.salmonfarming.org, today in a co-operative launch by its members around the world. Representatives from countries such as Norway, Scotland, Chile, United States and Canada have all contributed to this project.

"This is a great way for the international salmon farming community to connect with the general public and with each other," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director, BC Salmon Farmers Association.

The website includes information about ISFA, its members and their information sites, development of the industry and the life cycle of farmed salmon,.  It also includes the shared vision of these international salmon farming colleagues and a photo gallery of operations around the world.

"Salmon aquaculture is and will continue to be an important part of providing healthy protein for a growing world population," said Walling. "Working together to help people understand our business is a priority for all of us."

The International Salmon Farmers Association represents 11 associations from around the world committed to responsible farming, based on innovation and research, and environmental and social sustainability.

For More Information
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director, BCSFA
(250) 203-2974

Staffers at the BC Salmon Farmers Association are kicking off a fun, fashion-inspired challenge today to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Inspired by the foundations' Heart Truth fashion show, the five staff at the BCSFA have been challenged to pick only six pieces of clothing to wear at work for the month of April. Each staffer who completes the challenge will have $1,000 donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation on their behalf - meaning that up to $5,000 is on the table.

"It's a perfect fit for us," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. "The Heart Truth event is about encouraging healthy lifestyle choices to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke for women and men. Good choices in diet - like eating more salmon- are a big part of that."

To wrap up the fun month, the BCSFA will host a clothing swap and open house on Thursday May 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the BCSFA offices (#302-871 Island Hwy. Campbell River). People are invited to bring in clothing they'd like to see passed along, and with a by-donation admission, all can come and 'shop' though the donations. Any left over items will be donated to Anne Elmore House Transition Society in Campbell River.

The idea originated from a lunchroom discussion about a recent column by Angela Self of Smart Cookies in the Globe and Mail about limiting clothing choices - and the fundraiser grew from there. While some in the office are feeling the pressure of having only a handful of clothing items available for the month, all are happy to make the effort in support of heart and stroke research and education because of another personal connection. Three years ago, Walling suffered a stroke and has since fully recovered.

"Fundraising for the Heart and Stroke Foundation means a lot to all of us," said Valerie Lamirande, events co-ordinator for the BCSFA. "Hopefully by continuing to support their work, we can protect the health of our family, friends, coworkers and more."

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

For more information about the Heart and Stroke Foundation, visit www.heartandstroke.bc.ca.

For more information:
Mary Ellen Walling
Executive Director, BC Salmon Farmers Association
(250) 286-1636 x223

A new series of maps showing all operating Atlantic salmon farms during the outmigration periods of 2007 to 2010 is being released by the BC Salmon Farmers Association today.

"At this time of year, we hear questions about farms operating during the spring out-migration of wild salmon," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. "As well as explaining how we manage our farms to protect those wild smolts, we wanted to create a resource for the general public, researchers and others who are interested in farm site locations."

The series of four maps show all farms that were in operation at any point between March 1 and July 1, 2007 to 2010. It also indicates which were first-year farms, and which had second year fish during those operations. The dots marking those locations are greatly amplified from the scale proportion of an actual farm so that people can easily see where these sites are located.

BC's salmon farmers undertake significant management practices to ensure they do not harm wild salmon, with particular focus on the spring, when those fish are newly introduced to the marine environment.

Frequency of sea lice counts and fish health monitoring increases and veterinarians and farm staff ensure the three-motile lice-per-fish threshold set by government regulation is adhered too. All companies communicate with each other about their farm operations to maintain effective province-wide management strategies.

"Our companies are doing good work in ensuring that salmon farming can co-exist with wild populations. It's important that we better communicate our work, and this is part of our effort to increase information sharing," said Walling, who added that these maps will be updated each year.

The BCSFA represents salmon farm companies and those who supply services and supplies to the industry. Salmon-farming provides for 6,000 direct and indirect jobs while contributing $800-million to the provincial economy each year.

To download the four maps (in PDF format ) click here.
Maps are also posted under the Resources section

For more information:
Colleen Dane
Communications Manager
(250) 286-1636 x225