Canadian government investigating sea lice treatments
Just as the news broke about an investigation regarding the potential illegal use of the pesticide cypermethrin at a salmon farm site in Shetland by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, news comes that four farms in New Brunswick are also under scrutiny for the same offense. Cypermethrin, which is a synthetic pyrethroid highly toxic to marine life, is generally prohibited for use on fish, but some jurisdictions allow the use of the chemical for the treatment of lice. A similar approval system is in place for other compounds like Ivermectin, which also may be harmful to fish in high enough concentrations. Concerns about the potential use of this compound was originally raised last fall when residues of cypermethrin were found in sick lobsters held in ponds in the Bay of Fundy, as this report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a public radio and television company reported this week;
Environment Canada has launched four active investigations into the alleged illegal use of the pesticide cypermethrin in the Bay of Fundy. Environment Canada has launched four active investigations into the alleged illegal use of the pesticide Cypermethrin in the Bay of Fundy. Last fall, federal government investigators found the chemical cypermethrin present in weak and dying lobsters in the Bay of Fundy.
Now, further inspections done over the past few months have turned up detectable levels of cypermethrin at two other aquaculture sites in southwest New Brunswick. The chemical is illegal for marine use in Canada, but it's used in other countries to combat sea lice. 'We know it's toxic to all crustaceans and that's a problem not only for our fisheries but for the environment.'- Maria Recchia, Fundy North Fishermen's Association
The initial discovery of lobster kills in the Grand Manan and Deer Island areas late last year launched two investigations that are still ongoing. Ever since, Environment Canada officials have been monitoring the Bay of Fundy through routine inspections and sample collections. Between May and July, they found levels of cypermethrin in certain fish farms in Charlotte Country, which led to two new investigations into its alleged use.
Robert Robichaud, a district manager with the department's environmental enforcement branch, said government officials have issued a legal document known as "inspector's directions" to the two companies that own the affected sites. "Those directions are quite specific by nature. And what they require is the immediate cease to use any illegal chemicals - in this case cypermethrin - and to prevent it from being used in the future," Robichaud said.
The companies are Northern Harvest Sea Farms and Ocean Legacy, both are based in L'Etang, N.B. Neither company returned calls for an interview.
