B.C., Feds Off the Hook in Fish Farm Charges Laid in Private Prosecution
VICTORIA (CP) – A special prosecutor says a B.C. biologist has made a good case that sea lice from fish farms may be infecting wild Pacific salmon, but he’s decided against proceeding with any charges.
Bill Smart’s ruling involves a private prosecution launched by Alexandra Morton, who named the federal and provincial governments and the Heritage Salmon company as defendants.
Morton accused the governments and the company of allowing sea lice to escape into the wild salmon habitat from the Burdwood fish farm in the Broughton Archipelago on British Columbia’s south coast.
She alleged large numbers of sea lice were leaving the farms and coming into contact with wild salmon smolts heading out to sea. She said those smolts were more vulnerable to sea lice than the larger, more mature Atlantic salmon in the farms.
It was alleged the situation could have a significant adverse effect on the region’s pink salmon population.
Smart brought in fish farm expert Frederick Whoriskey, who reported that sea lice from fish farms could be infecting nearby wild stocks.
However, Whoriskey said, it is difficult to attribute declines in pink salmon populations to the single cause of sea lice infestations.
“Other factors could be acting either independently or synergistically of lice to contribute to mortalities,” Whoriskey said. “Pink salmon populations have historically fluctuated, sometimes on an immense scale. By chance, we could be in one such cycle.”
Smart says Morton had advanced “compelling concerns” and the public interest would be served by a prosecution.
But he decided against proceeding because he found there was no substantial likelihood of getting a conviction on the charges made.
He recommended a stay of proceedings.
Smart wrote that there was no dispute that sea lice live naturally in the Broughton Archipelago, that farm fish are taken to farms in the area free of sea lice and that they are infected by sea lice entering the farms from open waters.