Dear Minister Shea
I continue to be concerned that Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) has been introduced to British Columbia marine waters in any of the millions of Atlantic salmon eggs that have been imported into BC. Canada reports animal diseases to the World Animal Health Information Database run by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) The OIE website publishes these reports.
Why hasn’t Canada made an ISA status report to the OIE since the first reporting period of 2010? (see screen shot “Reporting History”)
What province/s reported “suspect” ISA cases in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010? See screen attached shots.
The OIE definition of a “suspect” ISA case includes: “Either clinical signs or lesions are consistent with this disease.”
The OIE further states “There is no gold standard test for ISAV...”
Have there been any suspect cases of ISAV in British Columbia? What tests does DFO/MAFF do to make certain ISA virus is not in BC?
As Minister of Fisheries you are personally responsible for protecting BC from this virus because you refuse to exercise the precautionary principle with your stated opinion below that there is “no scientific evidence for ISAV occurring inside eggs” and thus have allowed millions of Atlantic egg imports in recent years.
Has there been a suspect case of ISA virus in British Columbia?
Alexandra Morton
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Dear Ms. Morton:
Thank you for your correspondence of September 16, 2010, regarding infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV).
As you are aware, recent international evidence suggests there is a small possibility that ISAV could be transmitted within reproductive fluids-for example, through ovarian fluid-which means the virus could be on the surface of the eggs at spawning.
However, surface disinfection of eggs, which is routinely carried out in all commercial hatcheries and is required for eggs imported into British Columbia, provides additional assurance that ISAV will not be transmitted from parent to progeny via the egg. Furthermore, all shipping materials are disinfected before disposal. The disinfectant and disinfection protocol that is used is highly effective against ISAV and other salmonid pathogens.
There is no scientific evidence for ISAV occurring inside eggs, where disinfectants cannot reach. As always, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will continue to assess new information on this disease and others.
For additional highlights of existing measures to prevent the spread of fish pathogens, both identified and unidentified, from other countries and other parts of Canada to British Columbia's fish farms, please see Appendix A.
Regarding the ongoing research on disease including work on a potential novel virus to which you refer, you may wish to contact Mr. Mark Saunders, Director, Salmon and Freshwater Ecosystems Division, Science Branch, by telephone at 250-756-7145 or by email at < mark.saunders@dfo-mpo.gc.ca >.
Our Government is committed to the protection and conservation of our wild salmon. Please be assured that we will continue to work to conserve and protect salmon stocks for current and future generations.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me with your concerns.
Sincerely,
Original signed by,
Gail Shea, P.C., M.P.
Attachment
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Ministerial Correspondence Control Unit / Unité de contrôle de la correspondance ministérielle
Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Pêches et Océans Canada
200 rue Kent Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6
Telephone/Téléphone: 613-992-3474
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Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada
