APTN News picked up  “Lousy Choices: Drug Resistant Sea-lice in Clayoquot Sound” a report written by Alexandra Morton of Raincoast Research, and Karen Wristen of Living Oceans.

This report “claims that sea lice in Clayoqout Sound have become resistant to the pesticide SLICE and that industry regulators failed to protect wild juvenile salmon.”

As many of you are already aware, since 2017 we have been conducting field work to monitor the health of wild juvenile salmon as they migrate from their natal streams out to the Pacific Ocean. Along they way they pass multiple salmon farms in Clayoquot Sound, and pick up marine parasites known as “sea-lice.” Although theses parasites are naturally occurring on wild adult salmon, when juvenile fish become infected, their survival becomes seriously threatened. Their immune systems become compensated while the parasites feed on their skin and mucous layer creating open wounds.

“Sea lice have an exceptional ability to become resistant to drugs and other treatments,” she says. (Alexandra Morton).  “That is why fish farms don’t belong where wild juvenile salmon are migrating through.”

To stay up to date on the conversations happening, read the full news article below:

Link to the full news article HERE