tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post590501749396716926..comments2024-02-12T09:30:07.907-08:00Comments on Water Blogged: Setting the record straight on what we do around salmon farmingLiving Oceanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12892496464168293676noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-22839473677103581722012-03-18T14:36:15.602-07:002012-03-18T14:36:15.602-07:00Absolutely the truth Robert. Alex Morton's cla...Absolutely the truth Robert. Alex Morton's claims become more ludicrous every time she speaks. Personally she can stop the claim she speaks for BC residents anytime soon. She does NOT speak for me or hundreds of thousands of other BC residents. I'd also like to know where she purchased Atlantic salmon heads and what their source was. As usual she has very conveniently circumvented the facts. Heather OlneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-79376925739615421102012-03-18T14:31:00.813-07:002012-03-18T14:31:00.813-07:00I am disappointed to see you parrot Morton's f...I am disappointed to see you parrot Morton's false ISA findings. She cries ISA and even though her alleged confirmed findings cannot be duplicated by CIFA, DFO or even the same lab she claims to have used you are promoting it as truth. There is NO confirmed cases of ISA in BC. If there was ISA in BC the salmon farms would now be wiped out totally. They are not. Nor do they have ISA.<br /> You have also made a great show of supporting so called closed containment. Isn't it ironic that Agri Marine and their highly publicised demonstration closed containment system is the only one that sustained damage and fish loss in the recent severe storm to hit Campbell River. Do you still support them and their over rated system ? Heather OlneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-66885111160985415392012-03-16T15:19:20.077-07:002012-03-16T15:19:20.077-07:00In closing:
No one knows what will prove to be the...In closing:<br />No one knows what will prove to be the tipping point. Personally, I first started working to remove net-cages in 1989 while with Greenpeace. I participated in the Salmon Aquaculture Review in the mid-1990s. I organized and (with Living Oceans help) coordinated the Greenpeace-led protest flotilla in 2004 at the Burdwood farm site, bringing the MV Arctic Sunrise to the Broughton to help the cause. When I joined Living Oceans in 2005, CAAR member groups (and individuals) had been working tirelessly for years for the removal of net-cages. Negotiations with Stolt (now Marine Harvest) were already well under way. I supported CAAR’s decision to try this new tactic – because despite nearly two decades of protest, science, markets work and political pressure, the farms were still there. Now it’s seven years later -- and the farms are still there. At some point CAAR may decide negotiations are also futile. But in a twenty-plus year struggle, all strategies should at least be attempted. I believe that eventually, between protests, markets work, government pressure, negotiation, growing consumer awareness, mounting scientific evidence and community action – all of us together will succeed in getting net-cages out of BC waters.<br />Best, CatherineCatherine Stewartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-83225116695153635522012-03-16T15:17:36.048-07:002012-03-16T15:17:36.048-07:00Jim, I appreciate your comments and understand the...Jim, I appreciate your comments and understand the perceptions that exist in some quarters and how industry tries to use our work with them in a vain attempt to greenwash their ongoing harm to our oceans. That concerns us, of course, but fortunately most British Columbians see through the industry’s claims and know that a little bit of dialogue and joint research with environmental groups doesn’t, in any way, mitigate, excuse or justify their negative impact on our oceans. If it were as simple as ‘CAAR leaves the dialogue and the industry will immediately shut down’ – we would leave tomorrow. But we all know that wouldn’t change the fact that the net-cage farm sector has the solid and tireless backing of both the provincial and federal governments and far too many retailers and consumers are still buying their destructive product. CAAR is working to change that – at every level. When CAAR groups started pushing closed containment in 2000 the response was derisive. Industry and government dismissed the concept out of hand. Now, thanks to our work, there are closed containment-raised salmon in Overwaitea stores, pilot projects on the north island, some federal funding for closed system pilots and growing support in the marketplace. The joint research underway through BAMP may also be a turning point, forcing industry and government to finally publicly acknowledge the evidence of harm from net-cage operations.<br />More to come....<br />CatherineCatherine Stewartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-28443368467567565712012-03-16T15:16:20.883-07:002012-03-16T15:16:20.883-07:00Thank you for the feedback. A couple of responses....Thank you for the feedback. A couple of responses. First to Robert: I urge you to read the transcripts of the 3 days of ISA hearings at the Cohen Commission (Dec 15,16 & 19). Dr. Kristi Miller of DFO testified that 25 percent of the fish samples she secured at Creative Salmon farms in the Clayoquot region were positive for the ISA virus. Dr. Miller also noted the virus has not been fully sequenced and she believes it may be a new strain. While the aquaculture industry in BC continually points to the ‘thousands’ of negative tests run by Dr. Gary Marty in BC’s Provincial laboratory to bolster their claim to be ISA-free, Dr. Marty’s testing methodology was seriously questioned by Dr. Miller, Dr. Fred Kibenge of the OIE-certified lab at the University of Prince Edward Island and Dr. Are Nylund of Norway. Based on the testimony given under oath, it would appear BC’s claims of ‘no ISAv’ may be rather suspect. If the testing is flawed – it is possible the results are as well. We’re encouraging the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to both review the methodology of the provincial lab and include farmed salmon in their upcoming ISA Surveillance Plan. Meanwhile, the three major Norwegian farming corporations should give Dr. Miller permission to test their fish. If industry is so confident farmed salmon are free of the virus, why do they persist in refusing to allow Dr. Miller access to their fish?<br />More to come...<br />CatherineCatherine Stewartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-50876207367031734182012-03-16T11:16:37.859-07:002012-03-16T11:16:37.859-07:00Catherine, very well said, and thanks so much for ...Catherine, very well said, and thanks so much for this clear, informative, respectful and honest report of what's been behind some of the decisions in this long and difficult campaign. As one who was deeply immersed in the campaign for more years than I wish to remember, I'm well aware of the intense challenges that face anyone working to protect our precious wild salmon from the insanity of open netcage salmon farms. Thanks for all your hard work. <br />-LaurieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-59751527850867026272012-03-16T10:04:35.710-07:002012-03-16T10:04:35.710-07:00So facts no longer matter to your organization. T...So facts no longer matter to your organization. There is ZERO evidence of ISA on any BC fishfarm.<br /><br />Your crediubility goes down with each false statement you make.<br /><br />Robert WagerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682287066448562754.post-32306606645881180152012-03-15T18:08:14.330-07:002012-03-15T18:08:14.330-07:00Surely you can see how many consider your particip...Surely you can see how many consider your participation in CAAR to be "fraternizing with the enemy", as the salmon farms continue to use their agreements with CAAR as proof that they are a caring, good corporate citizen. Many people who have been fighting the industry for years think that Living Oceans is being used by the industry to prolong their use of open cages and to maintain and increase the volume of product they put out. Among many the reputation of the fish farm industry is so bad that any contact will taint the group or persons involved, and that perception is not about to change until the farms are out of the ocean.JIm Rosgennoreply@blogger.com