by Brian Tate
Ha-Shilth-Sa Northern Region Reporter
August 28, 2003
Esperanza Inlet - During a six-day period near the end of July, Grieg Seafood BC Ltd experienced severe losses at their fish sarms in Esperanza Inlet. From "a combination of four farm sites an estimated 1000 metric tonnes or 2.2 million pounds of Atlantic salmon died off from Raphidophyte Plankton called Heterosigma carterae," according to a press release from Grieg Seafood's Lease and Environmental Manager Tim Davies.
"The exact means by which the plankton affects the salmon is unknown, but it is believed that the byproducts of the plankton's natural processes affect the salmon's ability to absorb oxygen from the water," said Davies. "Grieg employees monitor for plankton such as Heterosigma everyday and tarps are used to keep the plankton out, along with upwellers to bring in clean water from unaffected deep water which were deployed immediately by staff," he dais.
The cause of the die off was plankton known as Heterosigma carterae that is common on the coast of British Columbia and was part of a huge die off at many fish farms in 1993 and 1997.
According to Davies "the mortalities were brought to licensed land composting facilities in Port McNeil, Campbell River and Comox Valley" unlike the last year when die offs were taken out to sea and dumped.
"We had informed all three First Nations in the Esperanza and Nootka Sound area as well as the Regional Waste Manager of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection as is required by the provincial Waste Management Act," said Davies. "Since there was no immediate danger to the environment surrounding the farms no ocean disposal was considered," he said.
Phil Fenn, Band Manager for the Ehattesaht First Nation said: "It is an unfortunate incident, but it is one of the costs of doing business in this area. It was probably due to overcrowding, and what kills salmon feeds oysters."
"Grieg has five farms in the Zeballos Inlet, Esperanza Inlet, and Hecate Channel and has applied for six new sites in the traditional territory of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation," said Davies. "Grieg has also applied for one additional site in the traditional territory of the Ehattesaht First Nation and has communicated plans to apply for three more sites after that," he said.
"The additional
sites would only be used on a rotational basis - four in Nootka and five
in Esperanza at any given time out of the sixteen finfish sites that are
proposed. The additional sites would also spread out the fish more and
avoid heavy losses like we just experienced," said Peter Gibson,
the Managing Director for Grieg Seafood.
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