There has been recent news coverage of a freedom of information request for sea lice data collected by the provincial government from our farms. The request is the second by the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation, who obtained similar information for an earlier time period in April this year.
The information under question is the province's informal database of information collected to audit the broader industry's records. It's their information to share, and it's up to them when and how they do so.
The question of release though is an interesting one. BC's salmon farmers are already more regulated than any other food producer to report on the health of our animals and any treatments that are required. Fish health management plans include regular testing for sea lice and fish health - and treatments are given only under the supervision of staff veterinarians.
Each year, the province releases an annual report about the information they collect. It is posted online and available to anyone. The province also posts quarterly sea lice counts on their Ministry of Agriculture and Lands website.
The fish health management program that's been established is a key element to ensure the health of our fish on farms. We feel it's a good way for regulators to be certain the industry is operating in a healthy, safe manner, answering to the public interest while also respecting veterinary-client privilege and company operational privacy. The annual reports give large amounts of information with context and interpretation - something raw database numbers don't offer.
Our companies also independently realize that the public interest is important to meet. The two largest operators in the province: Marine Harvest Canada and Mainstream Canada both post site-by-site sea lice counts on their websites. We work to increase transparency constantly while maintaining the balance of professional standards.
The BC Salmon Farmers Association along with the Association of Aquaculture Veterinarians of BC expressed concern about the last release of information. Our concern was that the information represented isolated snapshots of farm health and that raw data can be easily manipulated. The AAVBC expressed frustration that confidentiality agreements were being broken and said it set a troubling standard for other agricultural industries in the province.
All that said though, the information was released and only served to prove the success of the fish health program as it stands. The data confirmed the outcomes of the provincial government's annual reports, giving our farmers, veterinarians and others even more confidence in the process. We're sure this information under question now, would only do the same thing.
For more information about fish health management, visit: The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands or www.salmonfarmers.org
