Record Details
The implications of Kudoa thyrsites for the British Columbia salmon farming industry
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | The implications of Kudoa thyrsites for the British Columbia salmon farming industry |
| Names |
Marsal, Raymond
(creator) |
| Date Issued | 1994 (iso8601) |
| Note | Access restricted to the OSU Community |
| Abstract | Kudoa thyrsites is a myxozoan parasite which is present in many wild species of fish and has also been found in Pacific cultured Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Less than 1% o f the fish raised in British Columbia appear to be affected by this parasite with evidence of infection occurring only several days after harvest. This can create negative impressions of BC salmon when buyers receive product that has become soft, sometimes to the point of liquefaction. Cost to the industry based on direct losses due to the parasite are referred to as first order losses. Costs based on lost sales are termed second order losses. Rased on a series of assertions and assumptions, it may be that the first order losses to industry from Kudoa for 1993 amount to US$682,000. It is also possible that the actual cost to the industry, taking into account second order losses such as lost sales to smokers and distributors of fresh product, is 2.5 times the first order losses. When 10 buyers of BC Atlantic salmon were surveyed, it was determined that smokers are the most sensitive to Kudoa. Other buyers and distributors consider the problem not to be a major one although there are concerns that it may become so in the future. It is also apparent that the farther down the distribution chain one looks, the less understanding there is regarding Kudoa. A greater emphasis on education may need to be made in order to quell fears and growing concerns regarding Kudoa in Atlantic salmon. There is little known about the life cycle of this organism which makes identification of intervention methods difficult. Research using pooled data from different firms should be- used to try correlating greater incidences of Kudoa with some measurable factors such as site age, time or year or presence of some potential invertebrate secondary host. It may also Ire wise to jointly set up a monitoring program to ascertain which claims of Kudoa are false, confusing or misleading, and which are legitimate. |
| Genre | Thesis |
| Topic | Atlantic salmon -- Parasites -- Economic aspects -- British Columbia |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/45313 |
