Fish farm parasites wiping out Wild Salmon

Parasitic sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) found in salmon farms are rapidly killing off nearby wild salmon, according to researchers from the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University and the Salmon Coast Field Station in Echo Bay, B.C. Infection levels in wild juvenile salmon near the farms were 73 times higher than normal.
The researchers predict that unless fish farms change their location or procedures, wild pink salmon numbers will drop 99% within eight years. The study will be published in today's issue of the journal Science.
[CBC News | University of Alberta | Science Daily]

New Fish and Bait Viruses in Ontario

A new virulent fish virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia, has been found in fish in the lower Great Lakes - Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. This virus has been linked to die-offs of four fish species so far, and could decimate fish if allowed to spread. The U.S. banned the import of 37 live fish species - including rainbow trout, chinook and coho salmon - from Ontario and Quebec, and also banned movement of fish between eight states. The Ontario government is putting restrictions on transport of live bait from the Great Lakes area to stop the virus from spreading north and west. (cbc.ca)

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources will prohibit the sale of crayfish and frogs as bait sometime in 2007. Testing of bait-shop frogs found a 100% infection rate of ranavirus, which research has found can spread to fish. (fishontario.com)