Feds probe ocean ‘blood water’
Allegations about fish-farm plant near Campbell River worrisome: Leblanc
Environment Canada is investigating allegations that fish plants in British Columbia are spewing virus-laden “blood water” from processed, farmed salmon into the water off the coast of Vancouver Island.
As well, Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc said he is open to making additional changes to the Fisheries Act to ensure nothing flows into the water that is toxic to the already-threatened Pacific wild salmon.
The moves come after B.C. photographer Tavish Campbell published a video showing clouds of red liquid billowing from a pipe coming out of a fish processing plant.
The video was taken near the Browns Bay Packing Company, which processes farmed Atlantic salmon, at its plant near Campbell River.
Campbell said samples taken from the site were analyzed by the Atlantic Veterinary College and tested positive for piscine reovirus, or PRV, a highly contagious virus that most farmed salmon carry. The virus has been linked to a disease — heart and skeletal muscular disease (HSMI) — that makes fish lethargic and more vulnerable to predation.
Although the video has just started to gain public attention, Leblanc said he received it about two weeks ago.
“It’s designed to shock people,” he said Wednesday. “I was suitably concerned when I saw it.”
He said scientists from his department and Environment Canada are seeking clarity on the situation.
“In beautiful British Columbia we’re just dumping it in the channel but it’s out of sight so no one knows,” Campbell says in the video, filmed during three separate dives between April and November.
B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman is also investigating, and has pledged to do a full audit of the plants across the province to make sure they are compliant with provincial regulations.