Media around the world have been broadcasting news of how research by SFU statistician Rick Routledge has led to the discovery of a highly contagious marine influenza virus, Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) on BC’s central coast.

Routledge and biologist Alexandra Morton, who holds an honorary degree from SFU, say it threatens both wild salmon and herring.

Routledge is involved in a long-term study on the collapse of the Rivers Inlet Sockey populations. After catching 48 sockeye smolts from the inlet, his lab sent heart-tissue samples to the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI, which diagnosed the virus in two of the samples. It is the first time the virus has been officially reported in the North Pacific.

“ISA is a deadly exotic disease which could have devastating impacts on wild salmon and the many species that depend on them throughout much of British Columbia and beyond,” says Routledge. “The combined impacts of this influenza-like virus and the recently identified parvovirus that can suppress the immune system could be particularly deadly.”

ISA was first found in Norway in 1984 and has since affected every important salmon-farming region around the globe except, until now, BC. In Chile, the virus has reportedly caused more than $2 billion in losses to the aquaculture industry.

“The potential impact of ISA cannot be taken lightly,” says Routledge. “There must be an immediate response to assess the extent of the outbreak, determine its source, and to eliminate all controllable sources of the virus—even though no country has ever eradicated it once it has arrived.”

Morton is calling for removal of Atlantic salmon from BC salmon farms.  “The European strain of ISA virus can only have come from the Atlantic salmon farms. European strain ISA infected Chile via Atlantic salmon eggs in 2007.”

She adds, “The Cohen Inquiry revealed ISA symptoms have been reported in farm salmons in BC since 2006. The Fisheries Ministers have written me repeatedly that BC is safe from ISA. Clearly they are not in control of the situation.”