Statement on HSMI diagnosis at a BC salmon farm

STATEMENT REGARDING STRATEGIC SALMON HEALTH INITIATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF HEART AND SKELETAL MUSCLE INFLAMMATION AT A B.C. FISH FARM

The paper published by SSHI investigators regarding the diagnosis of Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) in fish from one Atlantic salmon farm in B.C. is important, and there is further research ongoing to better understand how HSMI develops and its root cause. The single farm identified in the study had an overall healthy population of salmon, with a low mortality, which showed normal behavior and growth rates. As confirmed in this study, the specific cause of HSMI has not been established, however it is associated with the Piscine Orthoreovirus (PRV) in B.C. Although the specific cause of HSMI has not been established, the population of fish studied entered the marine environment free of PRV.

The SSHI investigators utilized the latest diagnostic technology to test 500 heart samples from four Atlantic salmon farms in B.C. for 45 microbes with pathogenic potential and did not find any diseases considered of significant importance to the World Organization for Animal Health including Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA), Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN), Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and Salmon Alphavirus (SAV). Three of the four farms studied did not have diagnosed cases of HSMI.

The BC Salmon Farmers Association joined as a partner of the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative in 2013 because our members believe that more investigation into the health of wild and farm-raised salmon is imperative.

For more information visit BCSalmonFarmers.ca

Media Contacts:

Jeremy Dunn
Jeremy@bcsalmonfarmers.ca
604-202-2147 (mobile)

Sabrina Santoro
sabrina@bcsalmonfarmers.ca
604-202-4417 (mobile)