Farmers are accusing the Canadian government of hiding evidence of the disease

Dec 16, 2011 09:26 GMT  ·  By

The Canadian salmon is threatened once again, this time not by human influence or sea lions, but by a potentially lethal new virus that could make more than a few victims.

This topic is being analyzed by the Supreme Court, that wants to find out whether the wild Pacific salmon is exposed to this threat and also, whether the Canadian government is prepared to tackle this issue accordingly, the New York Times informs.

The infectious salmon anemia has already influenced the profit margins of companies commercializing farmed Atlantic salmon in a negative manner. The main worry is that the virus could spread from farmed fish to wildlife populations.

Moreover, a recent report indicates experts brought this topic into the Canadian government's attention in 2002, but officials have decided to keep this matter secret.

Farmers and companies have accused the Canadian administration of trying to hide conclusive evidence and minimize the potential threat. On the other hand, the government has dismissed their claims saying they rely on “poor science.”

This subject generates a great deal of mixed information and uncertainty. Scientists have suggested that the virus could be a mere “host pathogen,” carried by wild salmon without developing a disease outbreak.

While some scientists say nobody could guarantee that Canadian farmed salmon has the disease and could transmit it, other authorized voices say the virus can suffer radical transformations and has to be considered a threat.

During the first day of hearings, Kristina Miller, a molecular genetics expert from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans laboratory in Vancouver Island stated that, while she was investigating this phenomenon, she recorded positive results for I.S.A. virus tests.

Even under these circumstances, Miller can't say for sure how dangerous the virus really is. “We have not established that it causes disease,” concluded the expert.

Nevertheless, it seems that both sides agree on the fact that more tests have to be performed to reveal the truth. Such operations are currently developed in the US and in Canada.