Timeline for:
Dixon Bay Farm
First Licensing
DFO took over licensing from the Province in 2010.
Reporting of any kind was not required by DFO until 2016...
Reporting of any kind was not required by DFO until 2016...
Infectious Hematopoietic necrosis Outbreak
Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) is an untreateable virus. Most cases lead to death.
IHN was first suspected during routine testing by industry and later confirmed by secondary testing conducted by the CFIA. This resulted in Cermaq culling 50,000 Atlantic salmon.
$4.1 million was paid as compensation to aquaculture companies including Dixon Bay's owner - Cermaq that had to cull their fish due to IHN.
IHN was first suspected during routine testing by industry and later confirmed by secondary testing conducted by the CFIA. This resulted in Cermaq culling 50,000 Atlantic salmon.
$4.1 million was paid as compensation to aquaculture companies including Dixon Bay's owner - Cermaq that had to cull their fish due to IHN.
Pacific Herring Cull
358,726 Pacific Herring were reported by DFO as incidental catch resulting from the depopulation order by CFIA to control the spread of IHN after the recent outbreak.
Sea Lice Outbreak
Sea lice reports of 6.15 motile lice per fish (3.15 above regulation).
There are about 500,000 fish in each farm. This means that 3,075,000 motile sea lice were in Dixon Bay farm at this time.
Fish were treated by in feed pesticides.
There are about 500,000 fish in each farm. This means that 3,075,000 motile sea lice were in Dixon Bay farm at this time.
Fish were treated by in feed pesticides.
395 Pacific Herring Bycatch
DFO reported 395 Pacific Herring incidental catch at Dixon Bay.
303 Pacific Herring Bycatch
DFO reported 303 Pacific Herring bycatch at Dixon Bay.
Sea Lice Outbreak
Sea lice numbers peaked at 12.18 motile lice per fish (9.18 above regulation).
There are about 500,000 fish in each farm. This means that 6,090,000 motile sea lice were in Dixon Bay farm at this time.
Fish were treated by in feed pesticides.
There are about 500,000 fish in each farm. This means that 6,090,000 motile sea lice were in Dixon Bay farm at this time.
Fish were treated by in feed pesticides.
Proposed Farm Re-siting
Ha’wiih consider Dixon Bay to be one of their pristine areas and requested that Cermaq move the site. The request woud move Dixon Bay to an apparently more suitable, well flushed site: Yaakswiis.
Failed Farm Re-siting
Members from Ahousaht stated that Yaakswiis was too culturally important to become the new site of a salmon farm.
Protestors occupied the farm for 13 days, and on September 21, Cermaq agreed to remove the farm.
This farm became the fist to be removed from BC waters because of protestors.
Protestors occupied the farm for 13 days, and on September 21, Cermaq agreed to remove the farm.
This farm became the fist to be removed from BC waters because of protestors.
Mouthrot Detected
Mouthrot (tenacibaculum maritimum) was reported by DFO. This disease causes ulcerations and bacterial plaque formation in the mouth and gills of affected fish.
Mouthrot can be treated with antibiotics and antimicrobial agents. DFO reported that affected pens were treated.
Mouthrot can be treated with antibiotics and antimicrobial agents. DFO reported that affected pens were treated.
Sea Lice Outbreak - Failed In Feed Treatment
Signs of a major sea lice outbreak were first observed in September. The in feed treatment failed as sea lice began showing resistance to the drug emamectin benzoate or SLICE.
Nothing else was done to manage this outbreak.
Nothing else was done to manage this outbreak.
186 Rockfish Bycatch
DFO reported 133 Yellowtail Rockfish and 53 Black Rockfish as incidental catch at Dixon Bay.
Sea Lice Resistant to SLICE Treatment
DFO confirmed that sea lice in Clayoquot Sound were resistant to SLICE (emamectin benzoate) before the wild juvenile salmon outmigration period.
Major Outmigration Period Sea Lice Outbreak
Lice levels above regulation (3 or more motile lice per fish) began in October of 2017 and peaked on April 28, 2018 with 24.83 motile lice per fish. Lice load at the beginning of the wild juvenile salmon outmigration period in March was reported at 9.08 motile lice per fish. The last measurement at the end of this period was on May 2 at 13.22 motile lice per fish, still extremely above regulation.
Licenses require a management action within 15 days of elevated lice numbers. Cermaq indicated in May that harvest was their form of lice management, however, it can take longer than 15 days to harvest a farm which allowed lice numbers to continue to increase through out the outmigration period.
Licenses require a management action within 15 days of elevated lice numbers. Cermaq indicated in May that harvest was their form of lice management, however, it can take longer than 15 days to harvest a farm which allowed lice numbers to continue to increase through out the outmigration period.
277 Rockfish Bycatch
DFO reported 277 Rockfish as incidental catch at Dixon Bay. This is an extrememly high amount of bycatch as Dixon Bay is near 3 Rockfish Conservation Areas.
Many species of Rockfish are considered to be endangered in BC as they are slow growing and do not reproduce until they are 10 years old.
Many species of Rockfish are considered to be endangered in BC as they are slow growing and do not reproduce until they are 10 years old.
Paramove Treatment is Unsuccessful
Paramove hydrogen peroxide treatments failed both in June and July of 2018. This resulted in fish being reinfected with sea lice.
Mouthrot Detected
Mouthrot (tenacibaculum maritimum) was reported by DFO.
Affected pens were treated.
Affected pens were treated.
Emergency Drug Release - Lufenuron
The emergency drug release for Lufenuron (Imvixa) was authorized for use at Dixon Bay. Lufenuron is a benzoylurea which is used to control and prevent sea lice infestation. This chemical inhibits chitin synthesis and prevents moulting of the exoskeleton.
The conditions of the emergency release state that fish must not be slaughtered for use as food for at least 350 days after treatment with the drug as it is a systemic pesticide and persists within the tissue of the treated host.
The conditions of the emergency release state that fish must not be slaughtered for use as food for at least 350 days after treatment with the drug as it is a systemic pesticide and persists within the tissue of the treated host.
Something Other than Mouthrot is Affecting the Fish
The Animal Helath Centre examined the fish at Dixon Bay discovered that they had been treated 6 times in the past 5 months with Aquaflor for Mouthrot. Despite this, fish were dying at the same rate and were showing lesions not associated with Mouthrot.
Proposed Transfer of Sick Fish
A DFO veterinarian proposed that the mortality at Dixon Bay may be due to necrotizing bacterial enteritis. Despite this, 650,000 fish were proposed for transfer out of Dixon to two adjacent farms; Bawden Point and Binns Island.
A DFO audit on the transfer indicates that the mortality event was caused by algae, freshwater runoff, and mouthrot.
Transfer of Sick Fish
All evidence of a possibly highly infectious bacteria was ignored and 650,000 fish were transferred.
CSI Observation
Our Clayoquot Sound Investigation team observed divers inside the pens at Dixon which is usually a sign that something is going wrong. They also took note that the water was a red brown colour indicating an algal bloom.
Hydrolicer Trials
Cermaq's $13 million hydrolicer - a well boat used to power wash sea lice off of farmed fish began trials at Dixon Bay.
PRV Detected
Clayoquot Action sampled fish from Dixon Bay and found that the farm was infected with Piscine Orthoreovirus (PRV). PRV is a dangerous and highly contagious virus that has infected 90% of Cermaq's farms in Clayoquot Sound.
Farm Expansion
DFO began reviewing Cermaq's expansion application for 2 extra pens. Dixon Bay would increase from 10,692 m^2 to 12,804 m^2, from 10 pens to 12 pens.
This application was later approved. We belive that Cermaq's next step is to apply for a biomass increase at Dixon Bay.
This application was later approved. We belive that Cermaq's next step is to apply for a biomass increase at Dixon Bay.
CSI Observation
Our Clayoquot Sound Investigation team observed a man with test tubes board a float plane. The Salar hydrolicer was also present at the farm at this time.
Sea Lice Outbreak
A sea lice outbreak with levels above regulation persisted from July 4, 2021 until October 9, 2021.
The peak number of motile lice occured on September 13, 2021 with 23.5 motile lice per fish (20.5 above regulation).
If there are about 500,000 fish in one farm, that is 11,750,000 motile sea lice at Dixon Bay at this time.
During this time, sea lice were mechanically removed by Cermaq's hydrolicer about every second week.
If there are about 500,000 fish in one farm, that is 11,750,000 motile sea lice at Dixon Bay at this time.
During this time, sea lice were mechanically removed by Cermaq's hydrolicer about every second week.
Sea Lice Outbreak
Cermaq reported a sea lice count of 7.12 motile lice per fish (4.12 above regulation).
With 500,000 fish, calculations can be done to estimate 3,560,000 motile sea lice at Dixon Bay at this time.
Fish were treated by mechanical delousing by a hydrolicer.
With 500,000 fish, calculations can be done to estimate 3,560,000 motile sea lice at Dixon Bay at this time.
Fish were treated by mechanical delousing by a hydrolicer.
Farm Expansion Application
Cermaq applied once again not only to increase the size of their farm but also to double their biomass production from 2,640 to 3,300 tonnes. This application is currently under review.
Minister Announces Phase Out of Open Net Farms
Minister Joyce Murray announced the consultation of the phase out of open-net fish farms from BC coastal waters. This is in line with the federal governments commitment to remove all fish farms by 2025.
Land Act Tenure Expired
The Marine Finfish Aquaculture License issued under the Fisheries Act expired on June 30, 2022. This licence allowed Dixon Bay farm to carry out aquaculture activities including cultivation and harvest of fish.
Farm Expansion Approved
DFO approved Cermaq's application to increase Dixon Bay far from 12 30x30 meter to 12 40x40 meter pens. The maximum biomass will also increase from 2640 to 3300 tonnes, and the tenure size will increase from 44.4 to 66.70 hectares.