The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has cleared the first Nova Scotia aquaculture site to be hit by an outbreak of infectious salmon anemia but say a new strain of the deadly fish virus has been detected.
Last week, federal authorities lifted a quarantine imposed on a Shelburne salmon farm operated by New Brunswick-based Cooke Aquaculture.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, salmon with the virus are safe to consume and the virus and its mutated cousin pose no risk to human health.
The CFIA confirmed the ISA problem was resolved through a mass salmon slaughter, rigorous pen cleanings and a period where the facility was shut down.
A report submitted earlier this week by Dr. Brian Evans, the Canadian delegate to the World Organization for Animal Health and CFIA's former chief veterinary officer, stated a genetic mutation in the deadly salmon virus was detected in the infected Shelburne samples.
Dr. Roland Cusack, Nova Scotia's fish veterinarian, said the effects of mutated virus are the same.
"It's a change in shape but otherwise its the same as any other type of ISA," said Cusack.
"[It's not] more dangerous to the fish."
