Large numbers of farmed sablefish appear to be dying from a disease of unknown origin. "The Canadian Sablefish Association calls on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to conduct an immediate investigation into this potentially disastrous outbreak." said Eric Wickham, the association's Executive Director.

Farmed sablefish, selectively-bred for domestication, represent an "exotic species" in that they are genetically distinct from their wild counterparts. There are concerns that the unknown disease spreading through the open-water net-pen site of BC's first sablefish farm could easily transfer to wild stock known to inhabit the area.

"For those who question the importance of a precautionary approach, consider the disastrous impacts of mad cow disease, avian flu, lungworm in sheep, tuberculosis in wild buffalo, chronic wasting disease in deer and elk, and of course the devastation of Broughten Archipelago pink salmon runs by sea lice infestations, just to name a few" Wickham warned.

Recently the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and BC's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries approved the transfer of 60,000 juvenile farm sablefish from Sablefin Hatcheries to two ocean net-pen sites.

While only 18,000 of these fish were transferred, it appears they are dying from an unidentified disease.

Department officials including Allison Webb, Aquaculture Director, confirmed in a recent appearance before Fisheries Standing Committee that they are unaware of the cause of this die-off. They further stated that they do not know what happened to the other 42,000 hatchery sablefish.

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For more information contact Eric Wickham 604 915-9117 or 604 790-6371