A recent study by the Pacific Salmon Foundation revealed that viral heart disease, specifically heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), is more prevalent in open-net salmon farms in British Columbia than previously acknowledged. The research, published in the Aquaculture journal, identified HSMI in five out of seven open-net pen salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago, located east of Port McNeill on Vancouver Island.
The study highlighted that the disease-causing virus, piscine orthoreovirus (PRV), has the potential to spread from farmed fish in the pens to wild fish in the surrounding waters. Lead author Emiliano Di Cicco emphasized that the incidence of the disease is significantly higher than previously believed, contradicting earlier assumptions.
Concerns regarding disease transfer from farmed fish to wild salmon have long been debated in open-net fish farms along the British Columbia coast. Di Cicco’s team previously reported the disease in one out of four farms in 2017, indicating that the issue was not isolated. The study’s findings underscore the need for increased vigilance and regulatory measures in the aquaculture industry.
In response to the study, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) stated that they would evaluate the research and integrate its insights into future initiatives. The classification of PRV as non-pathogenic by the DFO has sparked calls for reevaluation by Di Cicco, who advocates for aligning diagnostic criteria with international standards to accurately detect HSMI cases.
The B.C. Salmon Farmers Association has yet to comment on the study’s findings, previously dismissing concerns about PRV as “fearmongering.” Industry representatives assert that salmon farming in British Columbia sustains high-paying jobs and constitutes a significant portion of Canada’s salmon output.
Collaborating with First Nations communities, the study underscores the critical role of salmon in the cultural and ecological heritage of Indigenous peoples in British Columbia. Leaders from various First Nations expressed gratitude for the scientific validation of long-held concerns about the impact of open-net pen salmon farms on wild salmon populations.