Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Friday, March 28, 2008
ISAV, infectious salmon anemia virus was first reported in Norway in 1984. In Norway the virus was thought to be controlled by biocontainment measures.
In January 2000 with health certifications the ban of sea water in smolt farms along with transportation vehicle hygiene and regulations on fish slaughterhouses ISAV was reduced. A paper written by Dr. Eric Anderson, at the University of Maine said, “despite these efforts, ISAV is now endemic in Norway and will pose an on going problem to the industry.”
Today the NYtimes is reporting that ISAV is killing millions of salmon being farmed off the waters of Chile. Dr. Felipe C. Cabello, at New York Medical College in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Valhalla says,” Parasitic infections, viral infections, fungal infections are all disseminated when the fish (north atlantic salmon) are stressed and the centers are too close together.” Cabello thinks all these problems are “related to an underlying lack of sanitary controls.”
The NYtimes is reporting that high levels of antibiotics have been used in the aquafarming of salmon in recent years stemming from a rash of nonviral illnesses from which the fish were suffering. Some of those antibiotics are prohibited in use on animals in the U.S.
The Times article says 29 percent of Chilean salmon is destined to reach the U.S. in spite of those bans. In Chili there is still no registry to track the use of banned drugs on the fish landing in the U.S. or anywhere else.
Apparently the vast majority of salmon infected with the disease end up in Costco and Safeway stores as well as other major outlets in the U.S.
No one wants to hear is that the Salmon she has been buying at Costco is infected with anything. The second least favorite thing to hear is that due to sanitary conditions the fish has been pumped full of antibiotics.
Environmentalists are saying that salmon farms are contributing to the deadzones in the oceans. Salmon feces and food pellets are stripping the water of oxygen.
The O.E.C.D.,Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in a 2005 said Chile’s aquafarming needs to get a grip on approximately 1 million salmon that escape each year from aquafarms and excessive use of antibiotics and the use of fungicides like green malachite
control the use of fungicides like green malachiteand the excessive use of antibiotics.
Photo Santiagotimes
Labels: Chile, Malachite Green, Salmon, aquaculture
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
ISAV, infectious Salmon Anemia Virus. What’s in the Salmon you eat?
