Lobster death raises questions

CBC News
February 18, 2010

New Brunswick's aquaculture industry is facing questions after an illegal pesticide was found on weak and dying lobsters on the Fundy coast last November.

Environment Canada officials are still investigating how the pesticide, Cypermethrin, made its way onto the lobsters in the Grand Manan and Seal Cove areas.

Cypermethrin is illegal to use in Canadian waters and is toxic to lobsters. But it has been used to kill sea lice in European fish farms.

And that's creating concern about its use in the Bay of Fundy considering some of the dead lobsters were found not far from aquaculture sites last fall.

David Thompson, an environmentalist, said many people in the area have suspicions about how it got in the water.

"Public feeling is that it probably originated at salmon farm sites, with people attempting to control a very serious problem they had with sea lice," Thompson said.

That allegation was strongly rebuffed by the group representing New Brunswick's aquaculture industry. 

Read the full story on CBC News

Read related stories:

• Telegraph Journal; February 19, 2010; "Salmon farmers not to blame, says association official" 
• Telegraph Journal; February 17, 2010; "MP will seek parliamentary probe into pesticide use"