Mail from Alex Morton - Are we dammed to hell?

IHN infected farm salmon transported through Alberni Inlet - one of the last farm-free migration routes left

I wanted to know what Mainstream is doing with their virus infected salmon so we tracked the boat electronically from the area near the infected farm at Dixon Bay where the boat was seen loading yesterday morning.

The boat arrived in Port Alberni at 2 am heavily loaded.

At 8 am trucks started coming alongside the boat, pumping out the dead Atlantic salmon infected with a disease the company is saying is IHN. However, I have not seen any tests to back that up I have been taught distrust of government and industry so not at all sure what these fish are infected with.

There was no containment around the boat, so if a pipe connection fails all the young salmon coming out of the rivers right now will be bathed in the virus. The Mainstream crew were hostile. However, after I told them several times that blood water was dripping from the hoses as the trucks pulled away, they used the caps and sealed them.

We followed the trucks and found they were dumping them nearby at the Earth, Land and Sea "organic" composting plant. Perhaps there is containment that is not visible in this picture to prevent it from flowing into the inlet, or being carried by the birds.

We alerted the local First Nation fishery biologist. Les Sam, the ex-chief and a councilman requested some of these fish for testing, to find out exactly what virus is in these fish and thus have the capability to track it in their fish. They had not been notified that their territory was being used to dump diseased Atlantic salmon. The mayor also showed up, apparently he had not been contacted by Mainstream either. Mainstream spent a lot of time speaking to him.

As we were going to ridiculous lengths just to find out where these fish are being dumped and what virus is actually in them, I got news that British Columbia is making this kind of ground-truthing illegal. In two weeks, I will be breaking the law if I inform you about a reportable disease like IHN and ISA. The lab reports will have to remain secret from you, and this Animal Health Act being proposed by Christy Clark's government seeks not only to override Access to Information, she also seeks to override the Offence Act opening the door to harsher penalties. The offence for failing to keep information confidential will draw the highest penalty.

We are headed for Dark Ages of pestilence and war lords. If this corporate dream legislation passes you won't be hearing from me anymore. Mainstream, Marine Harvest and Grieg, the three Norwegian operators in BC will have won. They can have massive epidemics of mutating viruses and you won't be allowed to know that you are consuming a side order of viruses in every bite.

I am in shock. We could try using democracy to stop this, but far far more people would have to engage than is typical.

As I write this the Ocean King Mort Packer is on her way for another helping of diseased farm salmon. Are we dammed to hell?

Sourse : Alex Mortons blog