Minister Darin King stated all the procedures were used to protect other fish. (Photo: darinking.ca/FIS)

Minister has faith in aquaculture's success despite ISA outbreak

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) confirmation of the presence of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) virus at a salmon farm in Newfoundland and Labrador has led to some public discussion about the development of aquaculture and the impact it has on the environment, said NL Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Darin King.
 
He said that a team of experts from his province’s department, led by Dr Daryl Whelan, is doing a terrific job of staying on top of the ISA case at a Gray Aquaculture farm site in the St Alban’s area.

“We followed all of our protocols and did everything possible to ensure that the area was quarantined. The department made sure the necessary practices and procedures were in place to protect other fish in the area,” King said, The Coaster reports.

“It is important that all information be presented in a factual manner. ISA virus occurs naturally in the wild, it is not created through activities related to aquaculture and it cannot be linked to declining wild fish stocks. In addition, farmed salmon is completely safe for human consumption,” King stated.

He said that understanding the causes of poor marine survival of wild Atlantic salmon is important and that the province continues to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) on salmon science and encourage them to make this work a top priority.

Wild Atlantic salmon populations have been struggling due to poor marine survival for decades due to causes including illegal fishing, bycatch and changes to marine ecosystems.

King noted that farmed salmon is safe to eat and Newfoundland and Labrador maintains the highest standards in all aspects of aquaculture production. This means that if certain biosecurity measures are followed, ISA-contaminated fish may be sold on the consumer market.

“NL farmed salmon is second to none in terms of quality, taste and food safety,” said King. “While ISA is a federally reportable disease, the CFIA confirmed what the industry has said since the beginning – the presence of this virus does not affect human health or food safety.”

While the ISA case will have some impact on Gray Aqua’s dealings, King said he thinks that it will mainly be business as usual for the company in the coming months. He commented that the firm will probably continue to proceed with their plans for a processing plant in Hermitage-Sandyville.

In NL, the aquaculture sector is comprised of 133 sites. In 2011, production rose 12.4 per cent from 15,360 tonnes to 17,264 tonnes and total market value of the product increased to CAD 120 million (USD 118.2 million).

“The Provincial Government recognizes the importance of this industry for the people of NL and we continue to uphold the highest standards for production and processing,” added King. “Our government is committed to supporting the development of an aquaculture industry that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.”

Related article:

- Salmon farm ordered to kill 450,000 fish

By Natalia Real
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www.seafood.media

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