Salmon parasite river 'cull' plan

[Kayleigh]

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Salmon parasite river 'cull' plan

Is there no end to culling.....
Is there another way round this problem but to kill everything living thing in the rivers..

The tiny parasite Gyrodactylus salaris hasn't reached Scotland yet..Lets hope it never does..

[Venger]

They are trying to save as many fish as possible, and then remove the parasite from the river.
Either that or lose the species.
more info here:
BBC NEWS | UK | Norway's lesson in salmon protection

[wild flower]

I disagree with this approach to 'conservation'. It is dangerous because it promotes a short-term, quick fix mentality and I suspect it is only a matter of time before we are justifying destroying remaining ecosystems (over and above what we are already doing) in the name of conservation.

This is not conservation. An entire ecosystem will be destroyed to save an economic commodity.

No doubt, we will soon see this approach used to save the native crayfish and we will be poisoning rivers to destroy american signals.

I totally understand the need to do something and agree that something should be done- but poison will wipe out fish, insects and is also toxic, albeit mildly, to mammals. There must be another way?

[Hedge Witch]

This drastic action seems unprecedented. Is this the case?

And if so, what I'd really like someone to explain is why this has never happened before. Has Gyrodactylus salaris never been a threat in the past? Why is it a threat now?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

This drastic action seems unprecedented. Is this the case?

And if so, what I'd really like someone to explain is why this has never happened before. Has Gyrodactylus salaris never been a threat in the past? Why is it a threat now?

I believe the parasite "Gyrodactylus salaris" it not found in this country so its never been a threat before..but it could get here and this is the way the Norwegians handle the problem..

[wild flower]

I believe there is an alternative but I know nothing about it other than it kills only the parasite and not the fish. I think it involves the use of aluminium and sulphuric acid! Which sounds terrbile and also something that may persist in the environment-so another great sounding option

[The Woodman]

The chemical the Norwegians use is a synthesised Rotenone. Rotenone is a natural product from the roots and vine of the Derris family and have been used as an control product for many years.

Rotenone in water kills fish by producing a mucus in the gill structure, inhibiting the uptake of oxygen. It does not affect insects, birds, amphibians (except newts in their larval stage) mammals or anything else.

In many of the Norwegian operations, the dead salmon have been given to the local communities as a form of compensation.

If Gs arrives in Britain, the authorities will have to act quickly. SEPA and the EA are in the process of making contingency plans on the lines of the Norway operations.

Aluminium and sulphuric acid may not kill the fish in smaller doses, but it will kill the parasite and every other invertebrate in the water. Take out the parasite host i.e. the salmon and break the Gs lifecycle.

It's not a quick fix, but the only fix realistically available at this time.

[Cypress]

Good god, aluminium & sulphuric acid?!! That's nice, it'll get into everything.. bring on the cancer & alzheimers...!

I get very cynical when I hear these culling and/or chemical stories, after the foot & mouth controversy..... we could actually do with less humans, the environment would fare alot better then!

[Hedge Witch]

Yes, cull the humans

Mmmm, might be even less popular