ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Continuing Studies in Science would like to thank the program sponsors for their generous support
in making the workshop, think tank and this publication possible. They are:
Pacific Fisheries Resource
Conservation Council
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Pêches et Océans Canada
Ministry of Fisheries
Faculty of Science
Simon Fraser University
We would also like to thank
Merrill Fearon, Save Our Fish Foundation for her detailed rapporteuring during the events,
Rob McTavish, Lohn Lab, Simon Fraser University for his invaluable technical support,
Laurie Wood, Continuing Studies in Science, Simon Fraser University (SFU)
and the members of the Steering Committee
for their commitment and effort in planning the workshop and think tank.
The members of the Steering Committee include:
Ms. Mary Sue Atkinson, Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council
Dr. Patricia Gallaugher, Continuing Studies in Science, SFU
Mr. Ron MacLeod, Save Our Fish Foundation
Dr. Craig Orr, Watershed Watch Salmon Society
Dr. Rick Routledge, Institute of Fisheries Analysis SFU and Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council
Peter Tyedmers, Ph.D. Candidate, School of Resource Management, University of British Columbia
©
Continuing Studies in Science, Simon Fraser University, 2000
ISBN 0-86491-218-8
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preamble
Patricia Gallaugher, Continuing Studies in Science, Simon Fraser University
Craig Orr, Watershed Watch Salmon Society ................................................................................................................ 1
Co-chairs report
Lawrence Dill, Professor, Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Rick Routledge, Professor, Mathematics and Statistics, Simon Fraser University ....................................................... 1
The Role of Science in Formulating Aquaculture Policy
Bud Graham, Assistant Deputy Minister, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries ......................................... 3
Opening Remarks
John Fraser, Chair, Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council .......................................................................... 5
QUESTION ONE:
Do Genetic Interactions Occur Between Wild and Farmed Salmon and, if so,
How Are Such Interactions Manifested in the Gene Pool of Wild Salmon? ................................................................. 7
a. Genetic Pollution: Fact or Fiction for Atlantic salmon?
Dr. Willie Davidson, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University ........................................................................ 7
b. Genetic Interactions Between Wild and Cultured Salmon.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center,
Conservation Biology Division ............................................................................................................................... 8
c. Cultured/Wild Interactions in the East Atlantic Salmon: A Convergence of Opinions on Levels,
Effects and Remedies.
Dr. Jarle Mork, Norwegian University of Science and Technology ...................................................................... 18
d. Genetic Breakout Discussion from Think Tank
Participants: Willie Davidson, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University;
Jarle Mork, Biological Station, Norwegian University of Science and Technology;
Bob Devlin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Anne Kapuscinski, Department of Fisheries
and Wildlife, University of Minnesota; Jeff Hard, National Marine Fisheries Science
Center; Ray Peterson, Tri-Gen Inc.; Chris Wood, Fisheries and Oceans Canada;
Terry Glavin, Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council; Malcolm Windsor,
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization; Bud Graham, BC Ministry of
Fisheries; Edward Black, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Facilitator: Richard Paisley,
Institute for Resources and Environment (Westwater), University of British Columbia;
Rapporteur: Merrill Fearon, Save Our Fish Foundation ....................................................................................... 21
QUESTION TWO:
Can Farmed Atlantic Salmon Invade the Ecological Niches of Wild Salmon? .......................................................... 23
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a. What Determines the Ability of Farm Salmon to Invade Wild Populations?
Ian Fleming, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research ......................................................................................... 23
b. Will Farmed Atlantic Salmon Invade the Ecological Niches of Wild Pacific Salmon?
Mart R. Gross, Department of Zoology, University of Toronto ............................................................................ 25
c. Do We Know What We Don’t Know? Atlantic Salmon in British Columbia: A Review
John P. Volpe, Department of Biology and Centre for Environmental Health, University of Victoria ................. 28
d. Summary of Discussions Regarding the Ecological Interactions Between Farmed and
Wild Salmon from Think Tank
Group Participants: Ian Fleming, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Mart Gross,
Department of Zoology, University of Toronto; David Groves, Sea Spring Salmon Farm
Ltd.; Al Martin, BC Ministry of Fisheries; Don Noakes, Fisheries and Oceans Canada;
Craig Orr, Watershed Watch Salmon Society; Geoff Robins, Office of the Auditor
General of Canada; Helgi Thorarensen, Holar Agricultural College; Bruce Ward, BC
Ministry of Fisheries; Ken Wilson, Fraser River Aboriginal Secretariat; John Volpe,
University of Victoria; Facilitator: Michael Berry, Alby Systems; Rapporteur:
Peter Tyedmers, School of Resource Management, University of British Columbia ........................................... 33
QUESTION THREE:
What is the Evidence That Disease Spreads from Farmed to Wild Salmon? .............................................................. 37
a. The Impact of the Salmon Louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) on Wild Salmonid Stocks in
Europe and Recommendations for Effective Management of Sea Lice on Salmon Farms.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .............................................................................................. 37
b. Infectious Salmon Anaemia: A Review and the Lessons Learned for
Wild Salmon on Canada’s East Coast.
Fred Whoriskey, Atlantic Salmon Federation ........................................................................................................ 46
c. Summary of Disease Break-out Group from Think Tank
Group participants: Dorothee Kiesser, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Paddy Gargan,
Central Fisheries Board of Ireland; Fred Whoriskey, Atlantic Salmon Federation; George
Iwama, Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia; Harald Rosenthal, Institut
f. Meereskunde a.d. Universiitaet Kiel; JoAnne Constantine, BC Ministry of Fisheries;
Josie Osborne, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council; Al Castledine, BC Ministry of Fisheries;
Ted Needham, Heritage Aquaculture; Richard Alderson, Heritage Aquaculture; Mary
Sue Atkinson, Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council; Ron MacLeod, Save
Our Fish Foundation; Facilitator: Bill Pennell, Fisheries and Aquaculture Program,
Malaspina College; Rapporteur: Ruth Joy, Mathematics and Statistics,
Simon Fraser University ........................................................................................................................................ 52
QUESTION FOUR:
What Are the Dangers Associated with Farming of Transgenics? .............................................................................. 56
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a. Biosafety Assessment of Transgenic Aquatic Organisms: The Case of Transgenic Salmon.
Dr. Anne Kapuscinski, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Minnesota ..................................... 56
b. Risk Assessment of Genetically-Distinct Salmonids:
Difficulties in Ecological Risk Assessment of Transgenic and Domesticated Fish.
Robert H. Devlin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada .................................................................................................. 63
QUESTION FIVE
What Steps Should be Taken to Reduce the Risk of Aquaculture to Wild Salmon? ................................................... 69
a. Alternative Approaches to Aquaculture.
Helgi Thorarensen, Holar Agricultural College, Iceland ....................................................................................... 69
b. Dispersal Behaviour of Escaped Farmed Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum).
C.J. Bridger, D. Scruton, R. Booth and R.S. McKinley* (*University of Waterloo) ............................................ 70
c. Reducing Ecological Risks From Escaped Salmon: Modern Methodological Approaches.
Harald Rosenthal, Institut f. Meereskunde a.d. Universiitaet Kiel ........................................................................ 72
d. What Steps Should be Taken to Reduce the Risk of Aquaculture to Wild Salmon?
Dr. Malcolm Windsor, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization .......................................................... 72
e. The Precautionary Approach Flow Chart
presented by Malcolm Windsor
following the Think Tank Session ......................................................................................................................... 75
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Evidence for benefits and genetic risks for anadromous salmonids.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 10
Table 2. Estimates of the ratio of the effective number of breeders (Nb)
to the census number (N); (H refers to hatchery populations).
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 11
Table 3. Interactions between Atlantic salmon (either recently escaped or wild spawned) and Pacific salmon.
Discussion Group Facilitator: Michael Berry, Alby Systems ...................................................................................... 34
Table 4. Potential ecological interactions between farmed Pacific salmon
(excluding disease and parasite transfer; either recently escaped or wild spawned)
and wild Pacific salmon. Discussion Group Facilitator: Michael Berry, Alby Systems ............................................. 35
Table 5. Sea trout rod catch per unit effort data, Owengowla and Invermore Fisheries 1985–1993.
Patrick Gargan, Senior Research Officer, Central Fisheries Board ............................................................................. 38
Table 6. The number of rivers sampled and the numbers of sea trout captured over the 1991–1999.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 39
Table 7. Precautionary approach to salmon conservation, management and exploitation.
Malcolm Windsor, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization ...................................................................... 77
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Change in genetic composition due to interbreeding of hatchery and wild fish.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 12
Figure 2. Inbreeding depression.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 12
Figure 3. Hatchery and wild steelhead survival.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 13
Figure 4a. Captive and wild coho salmon morphology.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 14
Figure 4b. Canonical discriminant axis population type.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 14
Figure 5. Captive versus wild coho salmon.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 14
Figure 6. Hatchery versus wild coho salmon.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 14
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Figure 7. Outbreeding depression and inbreeding depression and genetic effects on reproductivity.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 15
Figure 8. Effects of first and second generation hybrids.
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 15
Figure 9. Even-and-odd-year Pink Salmon
Jeffrey J. Hard, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science ..................................................... 16
Figure 10. Environmental and domestication effects.
Ian Fleming, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research ............................................................................................... 24
Figure 11. Production of farmed salmon in Ireland and sea trout rod cath in Connemara 1974–1999.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 38
Figure 12. Location of seatrout rivers sampled for sealice infestation 1992–1999.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 40
Figure 13. Sea Trout Finnock marine survival.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 41
Figure 14. Number of sea trout fry stocked into Western fisheries 1992–1999.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 41
Figure 15. Length frequency distribution of sea trout kelts on the Erriff Fishery.
Patrick Gargan, Central Fisheries Board of Ireland .................................................................................................... 44
Figure 16. Normal (left) and growth-enhanced transgenic (right) coho salmon at one year of age.
Robert H. Devlin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada ........................................................................................................ 64
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