Re: Salmon-experience

["J. Renee Brooks" <jrbrooks@mercury.cor.epa.gov>]

Deb & Boyd McFail wrote:

> This discussion on salmon is as fascinating as I knew it would be!
>
> I'm SO glad that it's come about because judging from this experience on
> your end of the world versus my end of the world tells me several things and
> one of those things is that I now feel confident that there IS a difference
> between our salmon and your Pacific Northwest Salmon Gina. .......

> I will check this out further, have no fear, and will report back. I'm on a
> mission now (g)

Hi Everyone,
    I would be extremely cautious in assuming there is a difference in the fish
in different regions, based on the ecology of salmon (live in a common ocean) and
the severity of the effects on dogs.  Deb, since you are on a mission, you must
find out more about the parasite.  The first question that must be answer is
where do the fish get the parasite.  If the answer is the ocean, then all of the
fish are exposed; if the answer is the stream bed, then specific rivers, streams
and hatcheries are at risk.  Next question would be conditions that would allow
the parasite to multiply in the fish, it may be that cold glacial-fed water keeps
the parasite level low in Alaskan streams, but I would really want to know that.
Third consideration is the genetics of the fish.  It may be that PNW fish are
more suceptable, or it may be that wild runs down here have crossed more with
hatchery raised fish and thus are not as hardy to the parasites.
    Good luck on your research and please let us know.
Renee
--
J. Renee Brooks
U.S. EPA/NHEERL          (541) 754-4684 (Office)
Western Ecology Division (541) 754-4799 (FAX)
200 SW 35th St.          jrbrooks@mail.cor.epa.gov
Corvallis, OR 97333