Dr. Jim Powell and the folks at the are on the hunt for escaped Atlantic salmon.

Ever since a last month, . Powell says if anyone finds any around here, he and his team would love to take a look at them.

B次元官网网址淏ring B次元官网网址榚m in,B次元官网网址� Powell says. B次元官网网址淔resh is better, but frozen is okay, too, and weB次元官网网址檒l do a full work-up on it.B次元官网网址�

Among other things, Powell says, they want to study the fish to see if they are carrying any disease.

B次元官网网址淲e want to see, B次元官网网址榓re these fish carrying any pathogens?B次元官网网址� Powell says. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e in the middle of spawning season. Fish are coming from the open ocean and theyB次元官网网址檙e carrying all kinds of stuff, so letB次元官网网址檚 have a look at them. If these fish are not healthy, thatB次元官网网址檚 good information to have. If they are healthy, thatB次元官网网址檚 also information thatB次元官网网址檚 good to have.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 even have any idea what theyB次元官网网址檙e doing,B次元官网网址� Powell continues. B次元官网网址淎re they eating? We just donB次元官网网址檛 know.B次元官网网址�

Wait, wouldnB次元官网网址檛 they have to eat?

No, Powell says. Salmon can apprently go B次元官网网址渕onthsB次元官网网址� without eating.

So what will the CAHS do with this data once itB次元官网网址檚 been gathered?

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e doing this for the public,B次元官网网址� Powell says, B次元官网网址渟o weB次元官网网址檒l report all the findings on our website. ThatB次元官网网址檚 part of why weB次元官网网址檙e doing this for free. WeB次元官网网址檙e covering the cost ourselves because I donB次元官网网址檛 want it to be backed by anybody so that someone will own the results. I want those results to be public.B次元官网网址�

But if they find anything out of the ordinary, the first call will be to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 even have an option,B次元官网网址� Powell says. B次元官网网址淚f we find something on the list of reportable pathogens the first call is to the CFIA and then to our colleagues at the DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans).B次元官网网址�

If you think you may have caught one of these escapees but arenB次元官网网址檛 sure, Powell says, there are a few key features to look for.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard enough to tell a chinook from a pink for some people,B次元官网网址� Powell admits. B次元官网网址淭he easiest way to tell if itB次元官网网址檚 an Atlantic salmon is to look at the gills. If itB次元官网网址檚 got spots on it, itB次元官网网址檚 probably an Atlantic. It could be a brown, but probably not.B次元官网网址�

Another feature of an Atlantic salmon is the difference in the fishB次元官网网址檚 kype B次元官网网址� the hook of the snout.

Pacific salmonB次元官网网址檚 kype appears on the upper jaw, while the Atlantic salmonB次元官网网址檚 hook is on the bottom jaw.

The CAHS is located at 871A Island Highway B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 the building on Pier Street with the giant aquatic mural on the side B次元官网网址� or they can be reached by phone at 250-286-6102.

In other news:

miked@campbellrivermirror.com
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