Findings from the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative (SSHI) related to Piscine orthoreovirus in British Columbia

Over the past several years, there have been increasing public concerns over the role of infectious disease in BC salmon declines, and specifically whether open-net salmon farming may increase pathogen exposure and disease risks to wild Pacific salmon. One pathogen, piscine orthoreovirus (PRV), has been of particular public concern, as it is the causative agent of an emerging disease. In Norway, PRV is recognized as the causative agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI); a disease among the most impactful to the country’s industry. In BC, on the other hand, there has been substantial controversy surrounding PRV and its ability to cause disease.

In the document below, experts within the SSHI respond in detail to four questions submitted to PSF pertaining to our state of knowledge on PRV in British Columbia.