August 26, 2011 by Anissa

Wild salmon supporters are rising to the challenge and are well on their way to raising the $18,700 needed to help Dr. Kristi Miller test farmed Atlantic salmon for diseases and viruses. 

During the lunch break alone yesterday $3,000 flooded in from fishing and First Nations groups and by this morning there was nearly $5,000.



At the Cohen Commission yesterday morning, Dr. Kristi Miller testified that she had no money from the Canadian Government to do any sockeye research (read more about Dr. Miller's "funding woes").  Dr. Miller also detailed a proposal to test farmed Atlantic salmon for the parvovirus - but that the $18,700 proposal to DFO had received no funding.

"It's shocking that the Canadian Government cannot find $18,700 to test farmed salmon," said Anissa Reed, co-founder of Salmon Are Sacred who joined supporters outside the Cohen Commmission this morning.  



"If Dr. Miller's science is proved correct, salmon leukemia could be responsible for the death of 27 million Fraser sockeye salmon.  Wild Pacific salmon are the backbone of British Columbia and provide millions of dollars to the economy as well as sustaining First Nations, fishermen, bears, eagles, orcas and the forests.  We're asking the BC public to step up to the plate and step in where Ottawa and the Harper Government have failed.  It doesn't take a scientist to conclude that our government is more interested in protecting the Norwegian-owned Atlantic salmon farming industry than in protecting wild Pacific salmon. Kristi Miller is holding a key here and we can help her to unlock that door."



To make a payment please go back to our home page and hit the donation button and then mark donations as 'Farmed Salmon Testing' or Kristi Miller Fund. If you send a cheque, please add that as well.



Read Alexandra Morton's blog on details at the Cohen Commission. These events and more inspired the people bearing witness to spring into action.