46 escaped aquaculture salmon present in New Brunswick river
The Atlantic Salmon Federation needs solutions after eradicating 46 escaped aquaculture salmon from the Magaguadavic River in New Brunswick since Aug. 1.
Farmed fish pose a severe risk to wild Atlantic salmon within the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine, the group mentioned. The 2 forms of fish have vital genetic variations, and with spawning season nearing it’s of explicit concern. The breeding of farmed fish with wild salmon may end up in weaker wild inventory.
“We have now reported our discoveries to officers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, however we haven’t obtained any details about what, if something, they’re doing to guard wild salmon from these escapes,” mentioned Jonathan Carr, ASF’s vice chairman of analysis and atmosphere.
A few of the aquaculture salmon could have come from two Cooke Aquaculture websites — Davidson’s Head close to Deer Island and Lengthy Pond close to Grand Manan Island. Based on the ASF, Cooke Aquaculture officers have confirmed two escape occasions occurred, each associated to nets being compromised by seals.
The corporate mentioned the breeches had been reported to regulators on Aug. 25, Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.
ASF researchers had been capable of seize the fish on the Magaguadavic River fishway, together with 10 on Tuesday. It’s unclear the place among the farmed fish got here from as a result of they had been captured as early as Aug. 1, previous to the identified escapes.
Regardless of one other escape of some 50,000 small Atlantic salmon from a Cooke Aquaculture cage in early August, which additionally was attributed to seals, they weren’t among the many fish taken from the Magaguadavic fishway. ASF is ready to determine aquaculture escapees by their look (these fish had been fairly small) and thru scale samples. That escape concerned small salmon weighing lower than a pound.
The ASF mentioned many of the fish it has captured this yr had been females, weighing 2 to 22 kilos, and a few had lots of eggs.
Mowi, the one different firm with salmon aquaculture operations within the Bay of Fundy, has not reported any escapes at its installations.
“If we’re choosing up fish within the Magaguadavic, it’s nearly sure there are numerous, many extra on the market headed for locations just like the Hammond, Nashwaak, Higher Salmon and dozens of different rivers close by,” Carr mentioned.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation’s efforts to watch the Magaguadavic fishway for commercially produced fish started in 1992. Nevertheless, most escaped fish recovered weren’t attributable to identified aquaculture breeches.
Since 2012, ASF has captured solely 33 native Atlantic salmon however has dealt with 386 escaped aquaculture salmon at Magaguadavic.
There are vital genetic variations between wild Atlantic salmon and their industrial counterparts, the latter of which have been bred, together with being crossed with European strains.
ASF mentioned importing and releasing nonnative fish is prohibited below Canadian regulation. Partially, that’s as a result of aquaculture salmon can breed with native fish, which results in much less hardy fish that contribute to the decline of untamed Atlantic salmon.
“These are genetic pollution which have long-lasting, damaging results on wild salmon and entire ecosystems,” mentioned Andrew Clarke, ASF’s director of conservation campaigns. “The dearth of follow-up motion and accountability is proof that governments select to show a blind eye, even when affected populations are listed below Canada’s Species at Threat Act, like internal Bay of Fundy Atlantic salmon.”
