The provincial government has posted all the quarterly report summaries for sea lice counts and fish health monitoring online for 2009 - showing publicly once again, the health of BC's farmed fish.
While the full annual report is yet to be released, the quarterly summaries show that the sea lice management program is effective and that no exotic diseases have been found on BC's salmon farms.
"These reports confirm what we already know from diligent care and monitoring - that BC's farmed salmon are healthy," said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association.
For the sea lice counts, the provincial government examined seven sub zones and two year classes for the farmed salmon in each quarter. The numbers show that only rarely did sea lice numbers reach the three-motile per fish level that triggers increased monitoring and treatment - and that during the second quarter when wild fry are migrating from rivers into the marine environment, all lice counts in all subcategories were below that regulated level.
In each quarter, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands confirms that compliance with health management plans was verified and that no changes to historic patterns were found.
The fish health reports also showed the continued success of the management programs. While some cases of infection were reported, all were naturally occurring disease in the Pacific ocean, and their incidences were minimal.
No IHN or ISA was found. BCMAL reports in all four quarters that there is no evidence of emerging disease or change in distribution of disease.
The reports show the transparency of the industry in sharing fish health information with regulators and the public. Quarterly reports are submitted by the BC Salmon Farmers Association and are audited by the provincial governments' own sampling and testing.
"BC Salmon Farmers are committed to increased transparency when it comes to information about the industry's operations - the provincial fish health program is an example of the success of that spirit of co-operation," said Walling.
To review the quarterly fish health reports, visit http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/ahc/fish_health/ where a full record of the number of tests is also included.
