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Weather data adds to integrity of collaborative research projects

February 22, 2012

Filed under: On The Coast,Sustainability — Tags: aquaculture, Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Plan, Dario Stucchi, Davis instrument, Gina Forsyth, Institute of Ocean Science, juvenile, Knights Inlet, land-based, marine harvest, Mike Foreman, oceanography, rainfall, Regulatory Affairs Manager, research, Richard Opala, salinity, salmon, salmon farms, science, Sea Lice, Sidney, Victoria, weather stations, Wells Passage, wild fish, wind — marineharvestcanada @ 5:05 pm

By Gina Forsyth

Data critical to the ongoing work of the Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Plan (BAMP) that Marine Harvest is actively involved in is consistently provided by weather stations in the Broughton says Richard Opala, Regulatory Affairs Manager.

The Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Plan (BAMP) began in 2010 as a multiyear lice monitoring and research program. This world class initiative brings together the crucial sectors of industry, government, researchers and ENGOs who have an interest in the effects of sea lice on juvenile salmon.

Nine land-based weather stations were set up in the Broughton in spring 2010. The Davis Instrument stations record rainfall, wind

Weather Stations

velocity wind direction, temperature, UV index, and humidity levels. Readings are recorded at pre-set intervals and data loggers collect and store up to 3 months of information. During routine maintenance trips, data is downloaded and instruments are serviced.

Highly variable weather conditions exist from one inlet to another, said Richard. The data collected provides accurate and up to date information. Weather information is key in achieving a comprehensive analysis of current movement. “All types of weather influences water movement – from high rainfall levels increasing runoff and decreasing the levels of salt (salinity), to wind altering water direction and tides,” he added.

These are just two examples of how the natural world plays a part in the dispersal of sea lice.

Logged data from the weather stations is entered into a model created by Dario Stucchi and Dr. Mike Foreman, oceanographers from the Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) in Sidney, near Victoria. Outputs are then analyzed by the BAMP science team.

Weather stations were strategically located to collect a wide range of weather patterns, accordingly the majority are located in the most exposed areas of the Broughton. The stations are spread out within an area of 70 kilometers, from Knights Inlet to Wells Passage.

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Wanting another acronym? How about BAMP?

December 5, 2011

Filed under: On The Coast,Sustainability — Tags: academia, aquaculture, Arrow Pass, BAMP, british columbia, broughton area monitoring plan, Canada, Canadian, coastal alliance for aqucaulture reform, conservation, David Suzuki Foundation, Dr. Crawford Revie, Dr. Marty Krkošek, epidemiology, farmed, fish farms, Georgia Strait Alliance, Greig Seafoods, Living Oceans Soceity, Mainstream Canada, marine harvest canada, P.E.I., PEI, Port McNeill, prince edward island, research, salmon, Sea Lice, T Buck Suzuki — marineharvestcanada @ 3:46 pm

Quietly and without fanfare, an utterly unprecedented collaborative research project has begun; a research project involving some very strange and unexpected bedfellows.

Arrow Pass salmon farm, Broughton Archipelago

Initiated by Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) and the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR), the Broughton Area Monitoring Plan has brought together co-sponsors and scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the three largest salmon farming operators in BC (MHC, Mainstream Canada and Grieg Seafood), academic researcher Dr. Martin Krkosek and the professor of Epidemiology with the University of Prince Edward Island, Dr. Crawford Revie.

Stemming from a related collaborative project developed by MHC and CAAR in 2008, the Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Plan (BAMP) began in 2010 as a multi-year sea lice monitoring and research program involving federal government, salmon farm producers, conservationists and academic researchers.

For more information about this unique research project, please visit www.bamp.ca

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Broughton Monitoring Plan a ground-breaking cooperative initiative

September 19, 2011

Collaborative partnerships are an integral part of the salmon aquaculture industry and Marine Harvest is proud to be a key player in one that is bringing together all sides of an issue. The Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Plan (BAMP) began last year as a multiyear lice monitoring and research program.
“This initiative is world class and brings together the crucial sectors of industry, government, researchers and ENGOs who have an interest in the effects of sea lice on juvenile salmon,” said Sharon DeDominicis, Environmental Sustainability Manager. This process will give everybody a lot of answers based on solid science, added Sharon.

In addition to Marine Harvest, project partners are the five member groups of the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as Mainstream Canada and Grieg Seafood BC, the other two aquaculture companies operating in the Broughton. These same groups also shared the cost of funding the program, which is set to run until 2014. Other key participants in BAMP are Dr. Crawford Revie, Canada Research Chair at the University of Prince Edward Island and Dr. Marty Krkošek of New Zealand’s University of Otago.

A main objective of the BAMP program include sampling of juvenile wild salmon from approximately 100 sites during their spring migration followed up laboratory analysis of the sample to improve understanding of sea lice levels in the area. A key part of the project also includes integrating historical scientific data with 2010 data to research possible interactions between sea lice and wild and farmed salmon.

The effectiveness of different farm management practices as well as improvement of sea lice transmission predictions is also included.
This level of collaboration and cooperation is ground-breaking within our industry. Along with Marine Harvest, everybody is working very hard to fulfill the commitment we’ve all made to advance our mutual understanding of this issue, commented Sharon.

In 2010, nearly 7,000 fish were assessed in the field between March and June. Almost all fish captured were pink, with a small number of chum and coho included. While only a preliminary analysis has been done to date, early indications suggest that 2010 sea lice levels on juvenile salmon species are as low as recent years.
A website is set to launch within the next six to eight weeks. It will feature a comprehensive database and will incorporate both recent and historic wild and farmed salmon data that will place not only the 2010 lice count data in context of longer historic trends, but also all subsequent data from future years. The site will also include a history of the BAMP program.

By Gina Forsyth

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Setting things straight over fish farm letter

September 9, 2011

Setting things straight over fish farm letter

Courier-Islander
Published: Friday, September 02, 2011

Dear editor;

I am pleased that Charlie Bland has taken notice of the support Marine Harvest provides to local charitable groups, service clubs and sport teams (“It’s not always shiny side up”, September 2nd). Although contrary to what he may believe, our community support is not new. For example, the July 1st salmon BBQ he mentions has been taking place for many years now. Over the years this event has raised thousands for the Firemen’s Burn Fund.

Charlie also expresses concern about our business of salmon farming. I don’t think I’ve ever met him, but of course would encourage him to contact me to discuss his concerns, or better yet he could join us on our weekly summer tours to learn about how we raise farmed salmon on the coast.

He calls our business “dirty” and criticizes the quality of the growing conditions at the farm. If he were to visit a farm, he would understand that this is certainly not the case, and there is a purely selfish reason for this; our fish live in the same waters where we farm and therefore require a healthy and clean environment to be raised in.

It is not “common practice to use antibiotics”, nor do we “have the fish injected with antibiotics”. BC farm-raised salmon are grown in very healthy conditions and under the watchful eye of a veterinarian. Our fish never receive prophylactic antibiotics. Medicinal treatments are rare and unlike most other foods, BC salmon farms publicly report any medicinal use. Just Google “antibiotic use in B.C. aquaculture”.

Charlie also questions the effects of sea lice on wild salmon as well as the impact of fish waste (organics) on the ocean bottom. Farming on land or in the ocean has associated impacts and it’s important to understand what is done to mitigate or eliminate these impacts. If not well managed the farm will not continue to operate. Sea lice management and benthic (ocean bottom) management are just two of the strict regulations we follow at the farm and is a requirement of our aquaculture license.

Charlie is welcome to contact me at Marine Harvest to learn more about how our farms operate, or to contact the BC Salmon Farmers Association for more information about public tours.

Ian Roberts
Marine Harvest Canada
Campbell River

Ian responded to the following Letter to the Editor:

It’s not always shiny side up

Courier-Islander
Published: Friday, September 02, 2011

We have all noticed recently how Greig Seafoods and Marine Harvest have been sponsoring many activities around the communities of Vancouver Island. They recently donated salmon to a barbecue in Campbell River and on Canada Day to the celebration on Quadra Island.

Right now these companies are working on their image to create the shiny side up they need you to see. I think we all sense that when money is being spent to sell the image there is something else going on. So let’s look at the other side of the coin.

Generally open net fish farming is a dirty business. Thousands of growing fish are contained in a small area with sea water of the local environment circulating through. Because of the crowding any disease can spread quickly killing some or all of the fish. It is common practice to use antibiotics in the feed or have the fish injected with the antibiotic. This causes two problems. The end product may contain traces of antibiotics. The second is that the residue disease that survives the antibiotics can be a resistant strain that cannot be controlled by the antibiotic and when transmitted to wild fish can overwhelm the natural defenses of the host. At this time there is a very dangerous virus present called infectious salmon anemia (ASA).

There are other problems. Sea lice which are a natural parasite of wild salmon infect the fish in the sea pens. In turn this produces clouds of lava stage and young sea lice which infect small salmon (fingerling’s) which gather around the fish farms when migrating out from the rivers. Large numbers of smolts are killed.

To control the problem of sea lice on their fish, farms use chemicals in the fish food. One of these chemicals is called Slice and is a poison that acts like the pills you give your cat or dog to control fleas.

Fish feces and other food debris tend to build up under the fish lot pens. For this reason fish farms like to locate in areas of good water flow in order to flush these wastes away. Water moves fast in and around narrow passages. This is also the highway for wild adult fish returning to spawn and immature salmon migrating from the river systems. Since fish farms are often located here contamination of wild stocks can occur.

The fish farm industrial lobby have been active in making sure that regulations do not curtail or inhibit their expansion, in the process regulations that protect wild fish and the ecology are watered down. This whole scenario is setting the stage for a colossal failure of wild fish stocks and the marine ecology.

The biologists are saying it. The scientists are saying it. The people are saying it. It has happened elsewhere.

It is my hope that the government will wake up before this happens. If it doesn’t the fish farms and the provincial and federal governments may be looking at the mother of all class action law suits.

Charlie Bland

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Fish Health Tech followed the fish to West Coast

July 25, 2011

Filed under: What We Do — Tags: aquaculture, Bachelor of Science, Brad Boyce, Campbell River, education, fish Health, Fish Health Technician, Gina Forsyth, grading fish, harvesting fish, Hawaiian shirt, netwashing, Ontario, Sea Lice, Senior Fish Health Technician, Stolt Sea Farm, Tacky Brood Day, Trent University — marineharvestcanada @ 10:17 am

When it came time to begin his career, leaving his home province of Ontario to work with fish in BC was a simple decision for Brad Boyce, Senior Fish Health Technician.
Brad’s grandfather, who instilled in his grandson a love of fishing, knew people in the aquaculture industry and suggested he explore what it had to offer. He took a leap of faith and with a couple of names on a piece of paper, Brad made his way west.
Starting with Stolt Sea Farm’s Projects Crew 13 years ago, Brad began his aquaculture career grading and harvesting fish and netwashing. “It was working with fish and that was enough for me,” he said.
When a position opened up in the fish health department, Brad was happy to put his Bachelor of Science from Trent University to good use. He spends a large percentage of his time on-site now, teaching staff about fish health, including sea lice education.
He remembers a particularly enjoyable workrelated moment with a big smile. “We had a ‘Tacky Brood Day’ and challenged each other to wear our most outrageous clothes. I wore a Hawaiian shirt and red long johns underneath boxers. It was a lot of fun,” said Brad.
Brad has two sisters, one older and one younger. Brad’s parents moved from Ontario to Campbell River shortly before his twins were born six years ago, two years after their older brother.
Brad and his boys, who are avid fishermen just like their dad, also enjoy camping.
By Gina Forsyth

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Marine Harvest Canada featured on Daily Planet

November 4, 2010

Filed under: On The Coast,What We Do — Tags: atlantic salmon, Daily Planet, Discovery Channel, Farside, Fish Farm, marine harvest canada, October 20th, Sea Lice — marineharvestcanada @ 9:26 am

Marine Harvest Canada’s Farside Farm site had a visit from Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet this past summer. On October 20th, the show featured that visit. To view the segment, visit October 20, 2010: Clip 3

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Simplicity in action: sea lice now trapped during harvest

August 20, 2010

Filed under: What We Do — Tags: Brad Boyce, dewatering boxes, environmental stweards, Gina Forsyth, Harvest Coordinator, June 2010, marine harvest, Marsh Bay, Michelle Warner, Nicole Joye, Norwegian, Pacific Joye, Roland Mader, Sea Lice, sea lice traps, Senior Fish Health Technician, Serena Joye, Shelter Bay — marineharvestcanada @ 11:48 am

Marine Harvest Canada recently followed the lead of its Norwegian operations the practice of using sea lice traps during harvest operations. This measure is effectively reducing the number of sea lice released into the environment.
Removing sea lice wherever possible is an important step in our ongoing commitment to being responsible environmental stewards, said Brad Boyce, Senior Fish Health Technician.
The concept is a simple one and one that has seen success starting with its implementation in June following trials in the spring. During each harvest, all discharge water is filtered through a screen that catches debris such as kelp and small sticks while a specially designed net catches the sea lice in its mobile stages if they become dislodged from the fish.
“It was a success right from the beginning,” said Michelle Warner, Harvest Coordinator.
Each of the company’s contracted harvest vessels – the Nicole Joye, the Pacific Joye and the Serena Joye – had its dewatering boxes modified through the addition of the debris screen, said Michelle.
The objective was a system that was easy and efficient for site staff to operate commented Michelle. Adding a full length zipper to the net helped greatly with that.
Following each harvest, the nets are cleaned with soap and water and disinfected with Virkon and stored away from direct sunlight.
The nets and screens were first tested on-site at Marsh Bay in March and then trialed during harvest in early May. A second trial was completed at Shelter Bay the following month. It was during this process that the bag length was decreased from 15 feet to its current 12 feet.
Although the current debris screens on the harvest vessels are doing their jobs effectively right now, Michelle stated that further fine-tuning will further improve their ability to trap unintentional by-catch.
Cost of the modifications ran at about $2,500 per boat. Each zippered bag cost approximately $600. Each site will soon have two that remain on-site at all times. Roland Mader, who does plastic welding, fabrication work and repairs on company harvest equipment, was contracted to add the lice shoots to the dewatering box on the harvest vessels.
By Gina Forsyth

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The Cohen Commission, Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Inquiry and Marine Harvest

July 12, 2010

Filed under: Community Support — Tags: BC Salmon Farmers Association, BCSFA, Canadian history, Clare Backman, Cohen Commission, Cohen Inquiry, Commercial Fishing, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, DFO, Fraser River, Fraser River Sockey, Fraser River sockeye inquiry, Haskyn Channel, Judge Bruce Cohen, marine harvest canada, Okisollo, Prime Minister, Public Submissions, salmon farming, Sea Lice, September 2011, sockeye, Stephen Harper, Supreme Court of Canada, Wild Salmon Narrows — marineharvestcanada @ 4:48 pm

By Clare Backman, RP Bio, Director of Sustainability

Last fall the estimated return of Fraser River sockeye salmon was less than two million fish instead of a predicted 10.5 million. Commercial fishing was shut down for conservation of the stock.

Although the cause of the decline could be related to low survival of the salmon due to low stream survival, poor ocean feeding conditions or high rates of capture at sea, several groups were quick to attribute the cause to early ocean mortality due to sea lice from salmon farms. These groups developed a new public relations campaign to remove five farm sites in Okisollo and Hoskyn channels, the so-called “Wild Salmon Narrows”.

In November 2009, responding to lobbying from commercial fishermen, sport fishermen, conservationists and some politicians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a Judicial Inquiry naming the Supreme Court of Canada Judge Bruce Cohen as commissioner to preside over the process. In announcing the reasons for the Inquiry many climate and habitat aspects were listed as possible contributors to the decline. Impacts from salmon farming were also listed as a possible cause to be investigated.

As announced, the Inquiry will seek information from diverse groups and individuals over an 18 month period with a final report to be delivered in September 2011. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was the key agency required to present information to the Inquiry. Other groups that wished to present information or give testimony to the Inquiry were invited to seek status. Dozens of groups came forward to seek status and were grouped together for efficiency purposes. With twenty groups officially granted standing, the Fraser River sockeye Inquiry is now the largest judicial Inquiry in Canadian history.

At Marine Harvest Canada, we take great care to ensure that our salmon are healthy with low to no sea lice; they are unlikely to pose any significant impact to wild salmon. MHC, along with the other salmon growers, is represented by the BC Salmon Farmers Association and legal council has been retained. An Industry Oversight Committee comprising a key individual from each company is working closely with the lawyer and his team of researchers to prepare information for the hearings to begin this fall. Marine Harvest and the other salmon growers of BC are preparing to submit detailed information about the good health of our fish during 2007 when this group of sockeye migrated to sea. We are also preparing to present other information about our industry should it be requested.

The Inquiry is currently gathering published information and will move to formal hearings starting in September 2010. During this period and up to the final report expected in 2011 there will be media stories and information updates on the business of the Inquiry. We can expect many news stories and public demonstrations to be about the suspected impacts to the sockeye from salmon farms.

You can learn about the Cohen Inquiry and keep up on its progress at the BCSFA website: http://www.salmonfarmers.org/fraser-river-sockeye-commission.

The Cohen Commission is currently accepting comments from the public. Don’t miss this opportunity to tell the Commissioner that the final report should present meaningful and quantifiable results with practical solutions to conserve Fraser River Sockeye. It should resist attempts by some groups to make it simply another review of net-cage salmon farming. Just visit the Public Submissions page on the Inquiry website (http://www.commissioncohen.ca/en/submissions/PublicSubmissions.php) to enter your comments and ideas.

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SLICE® Efficacy

May 6, 2010

Filed under: What We Do — Tags: Atlantic Ocean, BC Center for Aquatic Health Sciences, bioassay protocols, british columbia, Dr. Diane Morrison, Fish Health Department, genetic diversity, Integrated Pest Management, lepeophtheirus salmonis, marine harvest, marine harvest canada, resistance, Sea Lice, SLICE®, SLICE® resistance, treatment efficacy, wild salmonid — marineharvestcanada @ 11:22 am

By now, all of you are probably aware of the latest media frenzy – SLICE® resistant sea lice? As in most cases, the media is quick to report the fear mongering aspects put forward by the activist and then slowly, the facts and science are rolled out… on the back pages of the paper! So, what are the real facts? Should we be concerned?

Since 2007 the MHC Fish Health Department has been analyzing our sea lice and SLICE® treatment data for signs of treatment failures (this would be an early indicator of resistance development) using a statistical technique developed with Dr. Crawford Revie and Marine Harvest Scotland. Having found no evidence of resistance, we have also gone back and looked at all farm data from 2003. What have we found? Good news, NO indication of any decrease in the response or protection from treatment. We continue to see excellent responses at all farms and in all areas.

Additionally, we have been working with the BC Center for Aquatic Health Sciences to develop sea lice laboratory bioassay protocols. This test will use live sea lice, collected from our fish and then expose the lice to different levels of SLICE®. The lice will then be monitored for effect and the data collected will be used to predict any change in sensitivity to SLICE®. We hope to have the test available soon and be out collecting lice before the end of March.

In light of the good treatment efficacy results and the anticipated bioassay testing there’s no need to worry, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Having only one treatment option does not allow us to attain our goal which is the same as that used by other agricultural and horticultural industries – Integrated Pest Management (IPM). However, there are a few aspects we haven’t been able to adopt namely, area/ bay management, biological control measures, and most importantly alternation of treatment compounds. The best strategy is to routinely change the parasite treatment used to help prevent or slow the development of resistance. With only one treatment (SLICE®) available this hasn’t been possible. Alternation of compounds will greatly reduce the possibility of resistance occurring in BC. Therefore, we are working with the federal and provincial governments to change this situation.

On the bright side, British Columbia is different from other salmon farming countries and several factors may help slow, or even prevent, resistance development. Firstly, our Lepeophtheirus salmonis (salmon louse) has a different genetic make-up than the L. salmonis from the Atlantic Ocean. We’re not sure what this means exactly, but it may account for some of the behavioral and clinical differences we’ve seen between it and the Atlantic L. salmonis. British Columbia also has a large wild salmonid population (as compared to farmed salmon population) and in fact, the ratio of wild to farmed salmon in British Columbia is the opposite of many other countries. This means we have ‘naïve’ sea lice constantly coming into our farming areas which, hypothetically, should maintain genetic diversity and delay SLICE® resistance. SLICE® is administered at approximately 1.5 treatments per production cycle. This is infrequent compared to other countries and limits the sea louse exposure to SLICE®. Although these factors are in our favour, SLICE® resistance is always possible.

For the time being while only one treatment is available we will focus on strategic timing of treatments, work with our neighbours to co-ordinate timing of treatments, accurately predict treatment biomass and ensure proper feeding strategies, to hopefully avoid SLICE® resistance on our farms.

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Marine Harvest reports in

December 30, 2009

Filed under: What We Do — Tags: Asia, Bev Parnham, biggest public sector employer, Campbell River, Canada, Chile, environment, Fish Farm, Hardy Buoys Smoked Fish, Klemtu, Managing Director, marine harvest, marine harvest canada, North Island, Norway, Port Hardy, Processing Plant, Scotland, Sea Lice, Stan McLennan, USA, Value Added, Vincent Erenst, VIP, west coast — marineharvestcanada @ 9:44 am

By Bruce Winfield – North Island Gazette

A high-ranking delegation from Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) received a VIP welcome from councillors Dec. 8.

“Marine Harvest is the biggest public sector employer on the North Island now,” said Port Hardy Mayor Bev Parnham while introducing MHC Managing Director Vincent Erenst.

“It’s very nice to tell you about our activities and how we’re minimizing the impact on the environment,” said Erenst.

“Marine Harvest is the largest salmon farming company in the world, with operations in Norway, Canada, Scotland, Chile and more,” said Erenst. “We are integrated, which means we do it all.”

In response to a question, Erenst said demand for farmed fish far outstrips supply. “It’s a growing market … we would have no problem selling more salmon at a good price,” he confirmed.

“On the West Coast, the company has two processing plants, one on the far side of the bay where 150 people work and one in Klemtu where 25 people work,” Erenst added.

The company has 41 fish farm spots but usually only has 30 operating at once, said Erenst, which allows fallow time at each. Overall, Erenst said the company employs 550 people, has a monthly payroll of $3 million and sends 70 per cent of its product to the U.S., 25 per cent to Canada and five per cent to Asia.

Hardy Buoys Smoked Fish is a big customer for Marine Harvest, Erenst said, which adds significant spin-off employment locally.

Mayor Parnham agreed with that. “Value added like Hardy Buoys are very important,” she said.

In response to another question, Erenst said the company picked Atlantic salmon because they are “very efficient converters of feed, better than pigs and poultry.”

On the question of sea lice, Erenst said “over the last few years we tried to reduce sea lice at our fish farms during the out migration and we’ve succeeded in doing that.”

After Erenst said Marine Harvest wants to stay in B.C., Coun. Stan McLennan said “we’re not worried about B.C., we want you to stay in Port Hardy.”

Erenst added that was very likely because the company has a processing plant close to good fish farms. “We want to do more value-added, which means more jobs here in Port Hardy,” said Erenst.

McLennan suggested the company should produce its boxes in Port Hardy, rather than bringing them from down Island, but Erenst rejected that. “We have a good supplier in Campbell River and would not like it.”

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