Terms of Reference

Assessment of the risk to Fraser River Sockeye Salmon due to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) transfer from Atlantic Salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area, British Columbia

National Peer Review - National Capital Region and Pacific Region

September 15-17th, 2020
Virtual meeting

Chairperson: 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. Risks associated with other environmental stressors resulting from aquaculture activities will be assessed in future processes.

DFO’s Aquaculture Policy Directorate has requested Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (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 recommendations (Cohen, 2012).

The advice will be provided through a series of pathogen transfer risk assessments; this ninth risk assessment as part of this series is focusing on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV).

The risks associated with other pathogens also known to cause disease and detected on marine Atlantic Salmon farms in the Discovery Islands area have been assessed. In a subsequent process a synthesis of all assessed pathogens and an analysis of co-infections and other variables, will be undertaken.

Objectives

The objective of the meeting is to provide scientific advice on the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon due to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus 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 paper, related to the characteristics of pathogen infection and disease, susceptibility, prevalence and infection dynamics in British Columbia for:  

• Characterization of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus to inform pathogen transfer risk assessment in British Columbia (Working Paper 1).

Based on this scientific knowledge, the science advice will also include a review of the qualitative Environmental Risk Assessment on Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity due to pathogen transfer from Atlantic salmon farms located in the Discovery Islands area, including a review of the uncertainties associated with the estimation of the risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity for :

• Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (working paper 2)

Expected Publications

• CSAS Research Documents:
1. Characterization of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus to inform pathogen transfer risk assessment in British Columbia
2. Qualitative environmental risk assessment of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus transfer from Discovery Islands Atlantic Salmon farms to Fraser River sockeye salmon
• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

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

References

Cohen, B. I. 2012. Recommendations, summary, process. In The uncertain future of Fraser River sockeye. Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. Publishing and Depository Services, Ottawa, ON. Vol 3: 211 p.

DFO. 2010. Pathways of Effects for Finfish and Shellfish Aquaculture. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2009/071.