Farmed salmon....I can only say watch these vid's

Fantastic "NO OIL" campaign by The Clean Ocean project

The Clean Ocean Project at the Canary island Fuerteventura, does a magnificent job cleaning up all the plastic and trash we humans dump in the ocean. It's run by a great guy named  Wim Geirnaert, and I really urge all of you to give him and The Clean Ocean Project all the support  you can. Here is the latest campaign they have launched against oil pollution. It's very strong and direct which I really like - a photo say's more than a 1000 words - So please sign up and send it to all your friends.

...and here is one of their other shots showing what all the plastic we humans are trashing everywhere does to animals....poor creature!!!

My "B-day" and lot's of sea trout action - I'm Loving it!!!

Turning 53 yrs. old today - times have a tendency of slipping away!!  - Woke up very early (4 o'clock ) to a very beautiful morning, so I simply had to go fishing for a couple of hours.
I'm glad I did because I had one of the most fantastic fishing trips for more than two years, with lot's of fish all over the place. Magnificent"Pure Pürse" fishing al morning.


Here is a little photo session for my "b-day-early-bird--flyfishing-session" life is great and today was just one of those day to remember for a long time ahead.

PS. Click on pic's for a larger view

A lot of sea trout smolt is released every year in our fjord areas plus a lot of volunteer work is put int this act  - but then at the same time it's allowed to "plaster" the whole area with nets which catch heaps of these sea trout......it makes no sense to me????? 

Mail from Alex Morton - ISA virus positive salmon bought in several BC supermarkets

Mail from Alex Morton

If you want to see these testings continue then please donate - it's essential to know what is in our "so called food" these day and it seems like this is the only way to really find out!!!

ISA virus in BC Supermarkets and Vedder River

Today I received ISA virus positive test results from the international ISA virus OIE Reference labin eastern Canada.

The ISA virus positive fish were 5 Atlantic salmon I purchased from three different T & T supermarkets around the lower mainland and one chum salmon from the Vedder River. There is no evidence ISA virus harms humans.

These samples were in much better condition than the Rivers Inlet sockeye smolts that tested positive last year, and so further testing is underway to sequence the virus. Once completed this will better inform us of where this virus is coming from.

When my colleagues and I got ISA virus positive test results last December, the BC Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Don McRae said: “Reckless allegations based on incomplete science can be devastating to these communities and unfair to the families that make a living from the sea. Since Premier Clark is currently on a trade mission to China, I have personally asked her to reassure our valued trading partners that now as always BC can be relied upon as a supplier of safe, sustainable seafood..” Now we have ISA virus positive results from a Chinese supermarket chain in BC. The gills were intact in these fish and from speaking with the people behind the seafood counter we believe these fish were reared in BC marine feedlots. The CFIA will be able to tell us where they came from, or perhaps the market will let us know. If these fish were shipped in from outside BC they should not have had the gills left in them.

Last December the Minister of Fisheries, Keith Ashfield, accused us of putting Canada's reputation needlessly at risk because we made ISA virus lab results public. We went public in hopes others would begin the work to track this virus and learn more about it.

Dr. Gary Marty the Province of BC fish farm vet said last week: "This gives us a high degree of confidence that our salmon do not have known strains of ISAV." I don't know how I can buy 29 Atlantic salmon and come up with 5 positive results while Gary can't find it in the thousands of tests he has done. This does not make sense to me.

We know from the Cohen ISA virus hearings last December that DFO failed to produce a draft paper that reported 100% of Cultus Lake sockeye tested were positive for ISA virus in 2002/3. The Vedder River where we sampled the ISAv positive chum salmon is attached to Cultus Lake.Download Exh 2045 - 29. CCI001528.pdf (2183.9K) Instead of following up on these tests, they let this virus wander around the river, doing who knows what.

Greg McDade, lawyer at Cohen, saw this as a coverup because DFO had been instructed by Justice Cohen to produce all documents relating to the health of Fraser sockeye. Findings of the most lethal virus in the most endangered Fraser sockeye run certainly should have been among the .5 million documents produced. Download 08 - Aquaculture Coalition Submissions re ISAV-corrected.PDF (249.8K)

The proper protocols have been followed here, this announcement follows a press release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Detection of the virus does not mean the fish have the disease, similar to being HIV positive does not mean you have AIDS.

There is strong evidence this virus is European strain.

Below are photographs of the fish that tested positive for ISA virus. Please donate at the bottom of the page if you want us to continue testing. I remain hopeful a University, or Dr. Miller's lab will take over this work so that the public can get some honest answers here and decide whether we want these European viruses in our fish and food or not.

Atlantic salmon that tested positive for ISA virus from T&T supermarkets

Chum salmon from Vedder River

I don't know why no one else in the private sector is doing this work. If you want to see us continue please donate. If you donate via Pay Pal, it will say "adopt-a-fry." That was our first effort, to medevac young wild salmon around the salmon feedlots, which DFO did not permit. Just ignore the heading, your money will go to further testing.

Thomas & Thomas Bamboo fly rod

One of my acquaintaines - Per Hansen - have this completely new Thomas & Thomas  bamboo fly rod for sale for a really good prize if anybody out there should be interested??

Relevant Info's about this rod :
Type: Salmon 9 feet, class 9 serial No. 3793
Delivered in original alu-tube with a brass top, included a "fight bud" 
New Prize : 3500 US $
Now it's on sale for : 1800 US $

You can get in contact with Per Hansen here:

Per Hansen

Ravnsbjerggaardsvej 165 A

3480 Fredensborg

Denmark.

Phone: 0045- 4848 3900

Mail: dv301@mail.dk

Suspected infectious salmon anaemia finding

Read this article from the Daily Commercial News - and I just had to bring it here on the Pool 32 Blog.

Government of Canada/Public Works — March 12, 2012

Salmon Disease Finding Not Conclusive

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 12, 2012) - The Government of Canada has been notified of a suspected infectious salmon anaemia finding by a private laboratory based on samples collected in British Columbia. These tests have not been confirmed by the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory System (NAAHLS) laboratory, which uses internationally recognized test methods. Infectious salmon anaemia is not a human health concern. (How do we know that for sure??? - virus have a tendency to mutate very easily so is their just a media stunt to provide a panic reaction??? )

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the virus must be isolated and identified before infectious salmon anaemia can be confirmed. Given the way the original samples were preserved, virus isolation will not be possible. There are additional concerns with the sampling and testing methods used.

Infectious salmon anaemia is a reportable aquatic animal disease as per the Reportable Diseases Regulations.

In recent years, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia have tested over 5000 wild and farmed salmon in British Columbia for infectious salmon anaemia. None have ever tested positive.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will work with the private laboratory to send the samples for testing and analysis at the NAAHLS laboratory run by Fisheries and Oceans Canada; however, due to the poor quality of the samples it is unlikely that the NAAHLS laboratory will be able to verify the result.

In addition, the CFIA is working on a surveillance initiative to ascertain the status of various aquatic animal diseases such as infectious salmon anaemia on the west coast, starting this spring. On February 24, 2012, the CFIA announced the surveillance plan and is seeking comments. Under this program, fish will be tested for three diseases: infectious haematopoietic necrosis, infectious pancreatic necrosis and infectious salmon anaemia.

To request a copy of the detailed draft surveillance initiative, or to submit comments, contactNAAHPPNSAA@inspection.gc.ca. Comments will be accepted until March 16, 2012.

For more information on salmon diseases, visit www.inspection.gc.ca/aquatic or call 1-800-442-2342.

Follow us on Twitter for the latest on animal health: www.twitter.com/CFIA_Animals.

Contact Information

Media enquiries
CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600

Print | Email

New Canon 5D mrk. III review

I really look forward to play around with this new 5D.

So if you are just as crazy with cameras as I am, then click on this direct link to dpreview.com here you will find a really great review of this new Canon camera. 

Donates for Sid Blackwell and family

About This Page

Friends of Sid and Cora Blackwell... Sid has been a pilot all of his life, he can no longer fly or work and is facing extensive medical treatments for a serious and rare form of cancer called Angiosarcoma.  Sid has been undergoing treatments, but now his options in Canada are limited and he needs to seek medical attention in the USA.  We are unsure how long the treatments will last but they need to be started immediately!

Please help this family by sending a cheque made out to Sid Blackwell… C/O Nick Hawes 1810 Hwy 35 Burns Lake BC V0J 1E2  You may also donate by using the donate button on this site.

The Blackwell family needs your prayers and positive thoughts and your generosity is much appreciated.... Sid and Cora and extended Blackwell family thank you in advance for your support.

The family is focused on time together and healing. Any questions please call Nick Hawes 250-692-3229.

Famous steelhead fly fishing photographer Jeff Bright is also helping out in this very important matter, but donating some of his beautiful pictures.

Shown above is a limited edition fine art pigment print numbered 2 of 25. Overall framed size is approximately 21 x 35 inches (big!). Script below the image reads "Born of Glaciers ~ Dean River Steelhead." It's a beautiful, painterly photographic print of what all steelhead anglers dream of. I'll let it go for $850 or the highest offer over if I get competing interest within the next two weeks. I will donate all but shipping cost to Sid's fund. Buy this and your big fish karma will soar. You'll be inspired for life. Contact me at jeff@jeffbright.com.

Mail from Alex - Meeting with Norwegian Parliamentarians

Yesterday a large group of people met the Norwegian delegates, that includes one of the most powerful men in Norway, as they entered a meeting with the operators of their BC fish feedlot corporations.  While our meeting in the parking lot went well, the head of Mainstream's "Environmental Department and Communications" got into a scuffle with one of the Norwegian political leaders and stuck her tough out at us.  Clearly the Norwegian salmon feedlot corporations are running out of lines of defense.

Today they will meet with the David Suzuki Foundation which has signed an agreement with Marine Harvest, funded at times by the Moore Foundation, that includes  support for "production amendments." I walked away from this deal years ago, because these amendments would make the salmon feedlots bigger. They violate the biology and First Nations of the waters of the Kingcome and Knight Inlet, known as Broughton. The concept is to allow the industry to put more fish in each feedlot so they can fallow one migration route every other year.  However, wild salmon need to go to sea unharmed by this industry every year and when these corporations get what they want, they may not want to play ball anymore and just stock all the feedlots with more "fish." Every time the industry ends up in front of a judge they talk about the productive relationships with environmentalists and indeed, making their feedlots bigger would be "productive."

If you are a member of DSF of please consider writing to Suzuki to ask for details of this deal called BAP/BAMP.  One of the components of the deal was that Marine Harvest got to review all communications from the David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, the T. Buck Suzuki Foundation and Living Oceans.  This may be why we never hear from these groups anymore about salmon feedlots.   Now they meet on our behalf behind closed doors.  

Big enviros are not the only ones seduced into relationships with these companies by promises of good behaviour. Many of the small salmon enhancement groups are now dependent on Norwegian salmon feedlot money. Marine Harvest paid the fine they got for possession of Broughton herring to one of these societies who have Marine Harvest posted on their "wall of fame" !  They should have given this money to the communities that lost the fish, but the enhancement group in Broughton refuse collaboration with Marine Harvest, and the First Nations want them to leave.  Enhancement societies are now too scared to test salmon for ISA virus.  Why wouldn't they want to know? What good is taking money to protect wild salmon if you can't check for the most deadly salmon virus known, a virus following this Norwegian industry around the world?

The book "Merchants of Doubt" describes something very similar to this, when Big Tobacco drew the Cancer Institute and the American Heart Association close. This is no coincidence as the BC Salmon Farmers Association and Big Tobacco hired the same PR strategy firm Hill and Knowlton.

Salmon Are Sacred is now financially broke.  Industry repeats we are funded by large American groups which is not true. We will have to limit what we can do to our personal funds, which are also virtually non-existent, because many of the people in the photos in my blog, including myself have given too much to this movement to make ends meet.

Showing up in a parking lot is one of the options left to us and you can see how this went in my blog alexandramorton.typepad.com

Onward!

Alexandra Morton

MFA statement - "A passion for change........"

Mr. Nigel Griffiths from the MFA (Morrum Fishing Association ) is a man who doesn't just sit back and wait for things to happen, which I respect him very much for. In this case it's the concerns regarding the decline of sea trout and salmon in the once so mighty Morrum river. Over the last couple of years everything have just gotten worse and somehow nothing seems to be done about it. So MFA and Nigel Griffiths is visly advocating a complete change in the management of the fishery.


Seen in that context, here is a statement Nigel and the MFA has posted on the MFA website. Nigel kindly asked me if I would find it interesting to post on the Pool 32 blog as well - to that I can only say "but of course Mr. Griffiths" - since everything I do is in the name of Pool 32 I am of course very interested in bringing this sincere and extreemly relevant statement.


So here it is :

A passion for change

It is expected that the declines of salmon and sea trout in the Mörrumsån will continue well into 2016. Even if the river managers and Karlshamn commune decide to finally implement counter measures to combat the ever increasing declines. We can only hope that the neglect, inactivity and “mind set” will change. As the negativity will have dire consequences for the river well past the year 2016. Without change, the situation will only get worse while good people stand idly by and do nothing. All of which is preventable if changes take place.

There are now, proactive people, NGO’s and the EU commission of fisheries who are now attempting to implement counter measures to prevent the declines to the Baltic salmon and sea trout from getting worse. However, even when the Swedish board of fisheries (HAV) advocate legislation for 2012 with a stop to commercial fishing in some areas of the Baltic Sea…..which still has to be passed by the Swedish Government and still allows river estuary nets to continue fishing. And in essence, the board of fisheries states at the same time that all of which will take up to ten years to implement and see results.

Many experienced and sport fishing personalities have proposed good and well constructed proposals that would help the prevailing situation with the Mörrumsån. These recommendations and proposals are based on the experiences from other rivers that have had the same kind of problems, however, in these cases with successful results. Positive counter measures to the declines of salmon and sea trout to the river would be; compulsory catch and release of all salmon and sea trout until there is positive signs that both species are once again a sustainable resource. A complete stop to the estuary net fishing, as it now seems that these estuary fishermen have no concerns for the river whatsoever.

After many years of talk, rhetoric and inactivity…….two conferences one in 2009 and 2011……nothing has been achieved. Other than the problem going around and around without Sveaskog taking the initiative. Many, myself included, have finally come to terms that the emotive issues we have for the river must be stripped out to finally see the real picture as it is today.

No matter what takes place, the public sector company Sveaskog as a Swedish Government company is tasked with the effective management of the Governments commercial resources. But in the case of the Mörrumsån, and from a business prospective, the management of the fishery has failed in addressing the major issues in a timely manner. In the business sense, and viewed as “due diligence” the fishery is now being mismanaged, and because of gross neglect, Sveaskog have failed to recognize what it takes to turn around the fishery, prevent a corrosion of its brand name, declines of real values in the money spent fishing the river with no positive end in sight. The conclusion would be that the fishery will decline into a terminal situation without a clear and workable strategy in-place. Many have stopped fishing the river, with those that were the real ambassadors for the river leaving and not returning…frustrated, disappointed and with negative thoughts as to the future of the fishery. This continues situation will ultimately have dire commercial effects on the local community at large that rely on the revenues generated from the sport fishermen that fish the river.

There has to be real value in all of this, and sadly that seems to be no longer the case. The only alternative is to change out the managers of the river at a corporate level. And based on what we hear in the past……….half truths, disingenuous statements about good intention people who care for what is happening and what now seems a total disregard for the customers. One can only come to the conclusion that Sveaskog must now turn to another company to set “benchmarks” and manage the river more effectivly before it’s too late.

Nigel Griffiths

For more info use this link to the MFA website.