A recent norovirus outbreak has taken its toll on the B.C. shellfish industry, but not for reasons one might think.
According to Darlene Winterburn, executive director for B.C. Shellfish GrowersB次元官网网址� Association, multiple farms across the province are down 50 per cent in sales due to loss of reputation, regardless of the fact that the illness only came from oysters farmed in central and south Baynes Sound.
B次元官网网址淭he reason its impacting all of B.C. is because all of the notices and media reports around the disease were very broad sweeping,B次元官网网址� Winterburn explained. B次元官网网址淭hey said B次元官网网址榙onB次元官网网址檛 touch B.C. oysters,B次元官网网址� when the fact of the matter is, that business remains as usual across the province. The illness was in a very tight geographical area.B次元官网网址�
She added that smaller farms in particular are being hit the hardest.
B次元官网网址淭here are many who will not be able to purchase seed, which means they will not have animals to harvest in 18 to 24 months,B次元官网网址� Winterburn said.
Larry Hesketh, owner of Summer Breeze Agriculture, a small oyster farm located near Baynes Sound, said even though none of his oysters were carrying the virus, if this sort of publicity happens again next year it could be detrimental to his farm.
B次元官网网址淭he problem is in the way CFIA does their announcements. They said thereB次元官网网址檚 been 172 sicknesses due to eating B.C. oysters, but they fail to say you canB次元官网网址檛 get sick if you cook the oysters, and they donB次元官网网址檛 say it was only coming from a few farms in a tiny area,B次元官网网址� Hesketh said. B次元官网网址淭he CFIA needs to be more specific with their announcements.B次元官网网址�
He said even though only four farms in Baynes Sound have been closed, most farmers in that area are now afraid to market their product in case they get closed as well. He added that he has lost thousands of dollars in revenue because of the lack of demand for oysters. B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 been selling for a month and a half now. ItB次元官网网址檚 a real problem.B次元官网网址�
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are investigating the illness in the Baynes Sound area to try and pinpoint the source of contamination. In the meantime, four farms in that region have been temporarily closed for cautionary reasons.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control said there have been about 172 cases of the acute stomach upset between early March and mid April in Canada, and all those who became ill reported eating raw oysters from B.C.
No cases have been reported since last month.
B次元官网网址淚t looks like the virus spread has stopped, but the damage to reputation and to branding is significant,B次元官网网址� Winterburn said. B次元官网网址淲hen you make a sweeping comment thatB次元官网网址檚 across the whole industry, there is an impact. And there is a great deal of uncertainty that comes from clients, as well as the farmers, wondering how do we move forward.B次元官网网址�
Winterburn said there are a number of different reasons that could cause the illness, such as vessel discharge, failing septic systems, inadequate waste treatment facilities, or it could be caused from something as simple as someone getting sick off a boat in that area.
B次元官网网址淭his type of illness only comes from one source though and thatB次元官网网址檚 human beings,B次元官网网址� Winterburn said.
Norovirus is highly contagious and causes vomiting and diarrhea that can last for days, which can also lead to dehydration.
She said norovirus can be caught from consuming shellfish because they are B次元官网网址渇ilter-feeders,B次元官网网址� and while filtering water through their shell, they can end up with some particles of the virus in their system. So if someone eats an oyster when the virus hasnB次元官网网址檛 been filtered through yet, they can become sick.
B次元官网网址淭he oysters are never sick, they can pass those particles through their system. They are just telling us something; that we have to be very careful about what we are putting in to our water.B次元官网网址�
