Science experts say fish virus poses low risk for Fraser River sockeye salmon

VANCOUVER – The risk of a life-threatening virus for Fraser River sockeye salmon in British Columbia is minimal, but Fisheries and Oceans Canada says there is much more to learn.

Federal government scientists were among the 33 members of a peer review committee that reviewed the data and risk badessment related to the orthoreovirus pool, or PRV.

The virus is highly contagious and is often found on off-shore fish farms, many of which are located along the wild salmon flyways.

According to the environmental group Ecojustice, the PRV was discovered in 2010 and is believed to be causing a serious infectious fish disease, called inflammation of the heart and skeletal muscles.

It is an infectious syndrome that was first observed in Atlantic salmon farmed on a fish farm in Norway in 1999. There are now 419 farms infected with the disease in Norway, said Ecojustice.

Gilles Olivier, who co-chaired the review for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said the missing knowledge about the virus includes the virus's survival time and its concentration in the water.

While the virus causes fish mortality in Norway, it does not kill British Columbia sockeye salmon or Atlantic salmon, even when injected at high doses, said Olivier in a conference call with journalists Thursday.

"It does not seem to have the same effect on our Atlantic salmon here in British Columbia. than in Norway, "he said.

"There is no evidence to suggest that PPV causes disease and mortality in sockeye salmon."

But the virus can not be grown and has a wide geographical distribution ranging from Alaska to British Columbia. and in the state of Washington, said Olivier.

"It's not easy to work with this virus."

Most of the data comes from Norway, but from British Columbia. the strain of the virus is not as strong, he said.

Dr. Craig Stephen, who also co-chaired the review, said research would continue and as more information became available, the department would consider it.

The Cohen Commission investigated the collapse of Fraser River sockeye salmon in 2009 and made 75 recommendations.

The Viral Risk Assessment is the sixth in a series of 10 evaluations resulting from the Commission's recommendations.