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Scientists plead for urgent action to halt sea lice infestations
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Contacts:
Larry Dill, 604-291-3664, lawrence_dill@sfu.ca
Rick Routledge, 604-291-4478, richard_routledge@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, media/pr, 604-291-3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Larry Dill, 604-291-3664, lawrence_dill@sfu.ca
Rick Routledge, 604-291-4478, richard_routledge@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, media/pr, 604-291-3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
January 14, 2005
With B.C.'s juvenile pink salmon poised to begin their migration past fish farms in a few months, and salmon aquaculture about to expand into virgin areas, scientists are pleading for action on sea lice. New research is adding weight to their warning that the federal and B.C. governments must make “funding for research into the sea lice and pink salmon issue in the Broughton Archipelago the highest priority.” The urgent warning concludes a report summarizing 25 scientists' recent discussion of new, stronger evidence that sea lice infested fish farms are potentially depressing wild salmon stocks in the B.C. archipelago.
Simon Fraser University's centre for coastal studies hosted the meeting. SFU fish population statistician Rick Routledge and Alexandra Morton, an independent fish biologist, shared the results of their study of the mortality of pink and chum fry. Juveniles infested with one to three sea lice died significantly faster than their lice-free counterparts. Details of the duo's research are not yet available while their report is under scientific review.
Another study co-authored by the duo demonstrated that “sea lice loads dropped significantly on wild salmon fry sampled near three of the salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago that were cleared out (fallowed) in 2003. In 2004 the lice loads on wild fry sampled at these sites increased significantly when these same farms were not fallowed,” says Routledge.
Margaret McKibben, a fish biologist from Scotland, reported on research that has helped confirm that fish farms are boosting sea lice infestation of juvenile sea trout in Scotland. She also noted the importance of government-endorsed area management agreements in studying and controlling sea lice.
Scientists in B.C. are calling for the same collaboration and public sharing of all data about sea lice infestations in and around fish farms. Among other things, they also want fallowing to be studied and used more extensively.
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Simon Fraser University's centre for coastal studies hosted the meeting. SFU fish population statistician Rick Routledge and Alexandra Morton, an independent fish biologist, shared the results of their study of the mortality of pink and chum fry. Juveniles infested with one to three sea lice died significantly faster than their lice-free counterparts. Details of the duo's research are not yet available while their report is under scientific review.
Another study co-authored by the duo demonstrated that “sea lice loads dropped significantly on wild salmon fry sampled near three of the salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago that were cleared out (fallowed) in 2003. In 2004 the lice loads on wild fry sampled at these sites increased significantly when these same farms were not fallowed,” says Routledge.
Margaret McKibben, a fish biologist from Scotland, reported on research that has helped confirm that fish farms are boosting sea lice infestation of juvenile sea trout in Scotland. She also noted the importance of government-endorsed area management agreements in studying and controlling sea lice.
Scientists in B.C. are calling for the same collaboration and public sharing of all data about sea lice infestations in and around fish farms. Among other things, they also want fallowing to be studied and used more extensively.
-30-