Terms of Reference

Assessment of the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon due to Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus transfer from Atlantic salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area, British Columbia

National Peer Review - National Capital Region and Pacific Region

December 5-8, 2016
Vancouver, BC

Chair: Gilles Olivier

Context

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), under the Sustainable Aquaculture Program, is committed to deliver environmental risk assessments to support science-based decision making related to aquaculture activities. The Aquaculture Science Environmental Risk Assessment Initiative was implemented to assess the risks of aquaculture activities to wild fish and the environment. The risks associated with each environmental stressor validated in the Pathways of effects for finfish and shellfish aquaculture (DFO, 2010) will be assessed as per the Aquaculture Science Environmental Risk Assessment Framework ensuring a systematic, consistent and transparent process.

The first series of risk assessments to be conducted under the initiative will focus on the pathway related to the release of pathogens, and regionally focusing on Atlantic salmon aquaculture activities in the Discovery Islands Area of British Columbia. The risks associated with other environmental stressors resulting from aquaculture activities will be assessed in future processes.

DFO’s Aquaculture Management Directorate has requested CSAS advice on the risks to Fraser River sockeye salmon due to pathogen transfer from marine Atlantic salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area in British Columbia. This request supports DFO’s role in the management of aquaculture in British Columbia and aligns with recommendations in the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, including recommendations 18 and 19 on risks to wild fish populations related to pathogen transfer from farms and other fish health related ones (Cohen, 2012).

The advice will be provided through a series of pathogen transfer risk assessments, the first one focusing on Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV). This well characterised pathogen is known to cause disease and has been diagnosed on Atlantic salmon farms in the Discovery Islands area (St-Hilaire et al., 2002; Saksida, 2006). The risks associated with other pathogens also known to cause disease and detected on marine Atlantic salmon farms in the Discovery Islands will be assessed in subsequent processes.

Objectives

The objective of the meeting is to provide advice on the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon due to IHNV transfer from Atlantic salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area of British Columbia.

The science advice will include a review of the scientific knowledge, as summarized in the working papers, related to:

• The oceanographic characteristics of the Discovery Islands area, including predictions on the movement of particles away from existing farm sites in the area, to support the overall assessment of risk (Working Paper 1).
• The fish health management practices on Atlantic salmon farms that influence the transmission of pathogens between farmed Atlantic salmon and wild fish populations in a marine environment (Working Paper 2).
• The characteristics of IHNV infection and disease, host susceptibility, and its prevalence and infection dynamics in British Columbia (Working Paper 3).
• The characteristics of Fraser River sockeye salmon stocks, and the biology and ecological factors that are relevant to the assessment of risk (Working Paper 4).

Based on this scientific knowledge:

• Review the qualitative Environmental Risk Assessment on Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity due to IHNV transfer from Atlantic salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area (Working Paper 5).
• Review the uncertainties associated with the estimation of the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity (Working Paper 5).
• If risk assessment outcomes warrant, provide advice on additional measures that would reduce the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity due to IHNV transfer from Atlantic salmon farms in the Discovery Islands area.

Expected Publications

• CSAS Research Documents:
  1. Oceanographic and environmental conditions in the Discovery Islands, British Columbia
  2. British Columbia farmed Atlantic salmon health management practices
  3. Characterization of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV)
  4. Summary of aspects of Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) biology and trends in abundance in support of environmental risk assessments
  5. Qualitative environmental risk assessment of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus transfer from Discovery Islands Atlantic salmon farms to Fraser River sockeye salmon
• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO): Aquaculture Management (NCR and Pacific); Ecosystems and Oceans Science; and Ecosystem and Fisheries Management (Pacific)
• Indigenous Nations
• Academia
• Aquaculture industry
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
• Environmental non-government organizations
• Ministry of Agriculture, Province of British Columbia

References

DFO. 2010. Pathways of effects for finfish and shellfish aquaculture. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2009/071.

Saksida, S. M. 2006. Infectious haematopoietic necrosis epidemic (2001 to 2003) in farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in British Columbia. Dis. Aquat. Org. 72: 213-223.

St-Hilaire, S., Ribble, C. S., Stephen, C., Anderson, E., Kurath, G. and Kent, M. L. 2002. Epidemiological investigation of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus in salt water net-pen reared Atlantic salmon in British Columbia, Canada. Aquaculture. 212: 49-67.

Cohen. 2012. Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River - final report. CP32-93/2012E.