Petition regarding farm salmon diseases http://www.change.org/SalmonFlu
On May 25 Mainstream posted that another farm nearby called Bawden is infected with IHN, and the say they will send these to market because they are bigger than the ones at the previous farm. This farm is just south of Dixon. We don't know how they are going to move these fish. How will the blood-water be contained. The picture below is 90 feet down at the end of a fish farm processing plant on Quadra Island. Hopefully containment will be better than this. The black cloud is blood.
As the days pass more and more sites are testing positive for IHN, including two Atlantic salmon farms in Washington State and a sockeye hatchery.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/may/25/states-first-appearance-of-fish-killing-virus-at/
US Groups are Concerned About Bill 37 proposed by Provincial Minister Don McRae
Wild Fish Conservancy Press Release.
There is a lot of conflicting information about McRae's proposed bill 37
Paul Kitching, Chief Veterinary Officer for B.C. says says critics don't need to fear retribution for speaking publicly about disease
But the Executive Director of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association wrote to me that I should be concerned because, "The definitions are very broad and the penalties are being specially set at well beyond the level of other offences.
The intention is clearly to prevent any release of information re. disease outbreaks and to severely punish anyone who does release that information."
The Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia wrote a strong letter to McRae suggesting the Bill be amended
"The Bill would override the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FIPPA”) and remove the public’s right to access various records regarding animal testing, including actions and reports relating to animal disease management."
"Your interpretation that FIPPA is out of step with other jurisdictions, or is overly onerous, is not supported by our research."
Andrew Gage, West Coast Environmental Law suggests Minister McRae is misrepresenting the Bill to the BC Legislature in his answers to MLA Lana Popham and The Tyee: "Please be aware that the information you provided to the Legislature on the section’s intent does not reflect how a court is likely to interpret the provision."
Download McRae25May2012 copy.pdf (210.1K)
On March 27 Minister McRae told the BC Parliament our reports of ISA virus had almost shut down farm salmon trade to the US and Asia.
"My memory of the time when ISA was first talked about from the lab in P.E.I [Oct 2011 sockeye smolts]… There were lawmakers and legislators in the United States — various states bordering British Columbia — and some legislators in Asia who at that time were speculating and pushing for closing our market share.
It just reminds me, as well, that you do not want to give a nation a reason to close the border to a B.C. product without having all the facts. Again, if we had followed the protocols accordingly, I think it would have been more appropriate in terms of making sure we did not threaten our international markets." (HANSARD, March 27, 2012, Afternoon)
Now Minister McRae is telling the media and the BC Legislature that his Bill would not stop people like me, but BC's Privacy Commissioner and lawyers disagree.
Is Minister McRae ignorant of the sinister power of his bill to keep people ignorant of viruses in their food?
This bill could pass next week please consider signing a petition that is growing rapidly and check back here for updates http://www.change.org/SalmonFlu
