New research from the Pacific Salmon Foundation is examining how a marine bacterium may contribute to disease and mortality among wild Pacific salmon.

Dr. Emiliano Di Cicco is studying Tenacibaculum, a common bacterium known to cause ulcers and death in infected fish. His work builds on a recent study by the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the University of British Columbia that documented tenacibaculosis in wild Chinook salmon for the first time.

Researchers have found higher levels of the bacterium around open-net pen salmon farms. Other studies have also identified elevated pathogen levels in Fraser River sockeye migrating past salmon farms in the Discovery Islands. These risks may become more severe as warming ocean temperatures create conditions in which some disease-causing bacteria can thrive.

Wild salmon already face significant pressures from climate change, habitat loss and changing ocean conditions. Reducing preventable exposure to pathogens is one step governments can take to give these populations a stronger chance to survive and recover.

The federal government has committed to ending open-net pen salmon farming in British Columbia’s coastal waters by June 30, 2029. Following through on that commitment will help reduce avoidable risks and give wild Pacific salmon the opportunity to rebuild for future generations.

Read the full article from the Pacific Salmon Foundation.