Salmon-Killing Virus Seen for First Time in the Wild on the Pacific Coast

Cornelia Dean and Rachel Nuwer
October 17, 2011
New York Times

A lethal and highly contagious marine virus has been detected for the first time in wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest, researchers in British Columbia said on Monday, stirring concern that it could spread there, as it has in Chile, Scotland and elsewhere.

Farms hit by the virus, infectious salmon anemia, have lost 70 percent or more of their fish in recent decades. But until now, the virus, which does not affect humans, had never been confirmed on the West Coast of North America.

The researchers, from Simon Fraser University and elsewhere, said at a news conference in Vancouver that the virus had been found in 2 of 48 juvenile fish collected as part of a study of sockeye salmon in Rivers Inlet, on the central coast of British Columbia. The study was undertaken after scientists observed a decline in the number of young sockeye.

Richard Routledge, an environmental scientist at the university who leads the sockeye study, suggested that the virus had spread from the province’s aquaculture industry, which has imported millions of Atlantic salmon eggs over the last 25 years, primarily from Iceland and Scandinavia. He acknowledged that no direct evidence of that link existed, but noted that the two fish had tested positive for the European strain of infectious salmon anemia.

The virus could have “a devastating impact” not just on the region’s farmed and wild salmon but on the many species that depend on them in the food web, like grizzly bears, killer whales and wolves, Dr. Routledge said. “No country has ever gotten rid of it once it arrives,” he said in a statement.

The only barrier between the salmon farms and wild fish is a net, he noted at the news conference, opening the way for “pathogens sweeping in and out.” No vaccine or treatment exists for infectious salmon anemia.

Gary Marty, the fish pathologist for the province’s Ministry of Agriculture, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would seek fish samples from the researchers and run its own tests.

The British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association, an industry group, said fish health departments had regularly tested for the virus on the farms “and have never found a positive case.” Dr. Marty confirmed that no cases had been found in that testing.

Still, “if these results are valid, this could be a threat to our business and the communities that rely on our productive industry,” said Stewart Hawthorn, the managing director for Grieg Seafood, an association member.

At the news conference, the Simon Fraser researchers said Fred Kibenge, a researcher at Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, the global center for tests detecting the virus, had confirmed its presence in the two fish. They called for widespread testing to determine where the virus exists in the region and in what fish.

Alexandra Morton, a researcher and activist who collected the sockeye samples and is an outspoken critic of salmon farming practices in British Columbia, called the virus “a cataclysmic threat” to both salmon and herring, which can also contract it.

Read the full story in the New York Times.

Read related stories and view News footage. Note that this is not a comprehensive list. News coverage is so extensive that it is not possible to include all items:

  • KAYU; Ocotber 28, 2011; "Further sudy urged on virus found in Pacific salmon - a lethal and highly contactious fish flue virus has been found in wild Pacific salmon for the first time"
  • Courier-Islander; October 28, 2011; "Newest threat calls for a code red"
  • KSKA; October 27, 2011; "Salmon virus fears voiced, caution advised"
  • Globe and Mail; October 25, 2011; "Lethal virus found in B.C. sockeye 'threat' to producers"
  • Vancouver Sun; October 25, 2011; "Before judging, let agencies investigate infected salmon"
  • Santa Cruz News; October 25, 2011; "Deadly fish farm virus found in wild Pacific salmon" 
  • Chinook Observer; October 25, 2011; "There's somtehing fishy with some Canadian fish - Lethal marine virus found in B.C. salmon"
  • The Fish Site; October 25, 2011; "Canadian ministers issue ISA statement"
  • Fisheries Information Service; October 25, 2011; "Reports on ISA in BC salmon unconfirmed; Govt"
  • KPLU News; Octobrer 24, 2011; U.S. Senate approves rapid response to fish-killing virus"
  • Nanaimo Daily News; October 24, 2011; "Feds must take threat seriously" 
  • New York Times; October 23, 2011; "A Salmon Virus: Where do we go from here"
  • Seattle Times; October 22, 2011; "Whyfish virus spooks scientists" 
  • CBC News; October 21, 2011; "West Coast salmon virus under federal investigation"
  • Vancouver Sun; October 21, 2001; "U.S. senators raise alarm over B.C. sockeye virus"
  • Courier Islander; October 19, 2011; "Virus found in two sockeye smolts"
  • Fisheries Information Service; October 19, 2011; "Report on ISA in BC salmon disputed"
  • France 24, News 24, ABS-CBN News; October 18, 2011; "Lethal European fish virus foudn in Canada"
  • Fisheries Information Service; October 18, 2011; "ISA virus found in wild BC salmon"
  • United Press International; October 18, 2011; "Deadly virus found in Pacific salmon"
  • Washington Post; October 18, 2011; "Deadly salmon virus raises concerns in US, Canada"
  • Seattle Times; October 18, 2011; "Lethal virus found detected in wild Pacific slamon"
  • Nanaimo Daily News; October 18, 2011; "SFU salmon study nees more analysis"
  • The Times; October 18., 2011; "Canada finds fish killing virus"
  • Vancouver Sun; October 17, 2011; "Wild B.C. salmon test positive for 'lethal' virus linked to fish farms"
  • Global TV News; October 17, 2011; "Sick salmon" 
  • CTV / Canadian Press / Globe and Mail; Deadly European salmon virus found in B.C. stock" stock
  • Metro News; October 17, 2011; "Highly infectious influenza-like disease detected in Pacific Salmon"
  • News 1130; October 17, 2011; "Lethal Atlantic virus found in North Pacific salmon: Biologists say impact on wild salmon population could be devastating"
  • BC Local News; October 17, 2011; "Virus deadly to farmed salmon detected in wild sockeye"

Click here for OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) form reporting postive results for ISAv. 

Posted October 28th, 2011