Caught on camera: More blood water from Tofino farmed salmon processing plant

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A live camera this morning captured more blood water spilling from the outfall pipe of a farmed salmon processing plant in downtown Tofino. The footage, obtained by investigative diver and filmmaker Tavish Campbell, was posted to facebook with realtime commentary from Campbell and independent biologist and salmon farm critic Alexandra Morton.

The blood water comes from the processing of a fresh batch of farmed salmon harvested from a nearby farm owned by Creative Salmon. A similar discharge was recorded in the summer by Campbell, along with another at Brown’s Bay processing plant north of Campbell River. Tests of those discharges by the Atlantic Veterinary College came back positive for Piscine reovirus, which is know to cause the disease Heart and Skeletal Muscular Inflammation (HSMI) in both farmed and wild salmon. The recent release of that footage caused a firestorm and prompted promises from the provincial and federal governments to review the matter.

Says Morton:

[quote]The blood pipe looks like a fire hose of blood, pumping the virus directly into migration corridors. The risk to wild salmon is just astronomical.[/quote]

The discharge poured directly into Clayoquot Sound, a world-renowned tourism destination and UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Both Morton and Campbell comment on the situation in the above video, which includes graphic footage of the bloody discharge and marine life eating from it. “This current is dispersing infected blood water into critical wild salmon migration routes. It is pure insanity,” says Campbell.

Morton and Campbell are “calling on DFO and the B.C. Government to stop promoting open-net pen salmon farming and a moratorium on new open net-pen fish farms in B.C. with an immediate transition to closed containment farms on land, away from wild salmon migration routes,” according to a press release on the video from conservation group Pacific Wild.

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About Damien Gillis

Damien Gillis is a Vancouver-based documentary filmmaker with a focus on environmental and social justice issues - especially relating to water, energy, and saving Canada's wild salmon - working with many environmental organizations in BC and around the world. He is the co-founder, along with Rafe Mair, of The Common Sense Canadian, and a board member of both the BC Environmental Network and the Haig-Brown Institute.

2 thoughts on “Caught on camera: More blood water from Tofino farmed salmon processing plant

  1. There are many things wrong with fish farms,or factory farms in general,for that matter,but i think i have a theory which might explain some of the problems.

    some folks say fish farms have contaminated wild stock in b.c. and elsewhere and that of course could be possible since the nets can tear and the fish can interact ect.

    of course it makes little sense why people would mix a bunch of over crowded,stressed animals in with free wild animals to begin with.why are these farms not on land where the
    experiment can be monitored without interaction?

    i digress.the real issue i believe has to do with the food.http://www.farmedanddangerous.org/salmon-farming-problems/environmental-impacts/fish-feed/

    Besides imported fish meal,feathers,gmo oils,chicken parts ect which sound like the recipe for hotdogs,this food has gluten and other wheat products in it.

    why gluten and grain products.it does the same to fish as it does to grain fed pork,beef and humans.it fattens them up for harvest.

    what recent research is leading to is even darker.

    it might not be gluten that is causing huge heath issues in humans leading to many conditions prompting a move away from gluten in pet food and human food.it might be the wrong form of minerals used in everything from pablum to cat food to fish food.did you know they put iron filings in baby food ,corn flakes,in fact any where you see a label with enriched flour on it you are getting the wrong kind of minerals.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=081Xdo3qES0

    in europe the people don’t let their governments poison their food so they don’t allow ‘enriched flour’.it is said that people who are celiacs or gluten intolerant can eat wheat without issue.

    the chemical fertilizers started the slide in nutrition back in the 40’s and 50’s.no longer do farmers put composted manure,wood ash or other good sources of the trace minerals needed by all beings to live healthy or long.

    it is the lack of proper trace mineral intake which is leading to many of our modern health issues.

    the japanese used e.m.-1 to cleanup contaminated fish and shrimp farms.it should be mangatory these operations are moved on land,fed real food,properly oxygenated and given effectitive microorganisms before they kill off the species by corporate greed.

    then we should stop all other factory farming nightmares that feed fear and death.

    ormus is the answer.ormus fertilizer contains the trace minerals that all beings need for life.much more food can be grown in harsher conditions with less resources.ormus grows vibrant plants and animals.

    it is time to hod our politicians feet to the fire.this issue is not happening only in canada.this is a worldwide assualt by parties with dark agendas.https://vimeo.com/61301410

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