Marine Harvest reacts to Atlantic salmon escape

Black Press
October 29,2009
Campbell River Mirror

BROUGHTON ARCHIPELAGO - Marine Harvest Canada said they managed to recover 1,073 of approximately 40,000 Atlantic salmon that escaped from a fish farm in the Broughton Archipelago.

And the company says it has put in place measures to prevent any further escapes.

The Atlantics escaped from the company's Port Elizabeth site, at the south end of Gilford Island, Oct. 21.

The loss was discovered after scuba divers found several holes in two pens while removing fish which had died as a result of low oxygen levels, said a company press release.

Prevention methods to eliminate further escape are in place, the company said, and this incident has been reported to regulators. The cause of the holes remains under investigation, but may be related to the fish removal process.

"This is something that has to be taken seriously," said Clare Backman, environmental relations director for MHC. "There will be a full investigation and we will make changes as required to prevent this from happening again."

Read the full story in The Campbell River Mirror

For background news stories on the October 21st Atlantic salmon escapement, click here.