Honourable Don McRae

Minister of Agriculture

Room 301, Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C.

V8V 1X4

Dear Minister McRae:

The discovery of wild salmon infected with the European strain of the infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus has raised serious concerns about the risks to B.C.'s wild salmon stocks and the species and ecosystems that depend on them for survival. Media reports about Simon Fraser University research reference several samples from juvenile sockeye smolts from Rivers Inlet that have tested positive for the presence of the disease at Canada's ISA reference lab.

Until now, the presence of ISA has been unknown in British Columbian waters. But there are now reported allegations that suggest that the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands has previously been in receipt of reports describing “classic” ISA-like lesions on salmon samples.

We are writing to ask the minister to immediately disclose all reports to and within the Ministry referencing ISA threats and reported symtoms of the disease and to inquire about what, if any, actions have been taken in response to this present threat. The people of British Columbia deserve answers about when you received these reports, what actions were taken in response to them, and why this government failed to disclose information regarding ISA to the public and the Cohen Commission of Inquiry.

B.C.’s wild salmon hold irreplaceable and immense ecological, economic, and cultural value to our province, and the public deserves to know about any emerging threats to their survival. The Pacific Salmon Treaty Commission is currently meeting in Portland, Oregon, and it's important for your government to explain to our U.S. counterparts any findings and actions to do with the ISA virus in British Columbian waters.

Minister, we are calling on you today to release any and all reports your ministry has received regarding the viral outbreak and to publicly report on the actions taken by the government to identify the scope of the outbreak, steps that will be taken to contain it, and other actions that the Liberal government plans to take to ensure the survival of our wild Pacific salmon for generations to come.

Best regards,

Rob Fleming, MLA Lana Popham, MLA

Victoria-Swan Lake Saanich South

Opposition Critic for the Environment Opposition Critic for Agriculture