Wharfside
July 2016
Rising ocean temperatures require
plankton mitigation
In this issue
Rising ocean temperatures require
plankton mitigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Centralised team to support operations. . . 2
Oyster River Enhancement Society. . . . . . . 2
Living a full life at home and work. . . . . . . . . 3
Mythbusting about sun protection. . . . . . . . 4
Employees get their just rewards. . . . . . . . . 4
Port Hardy processing plant recognized
for commitment to trades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Seafood buyers tour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
July is our barbeque peak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Campbell River Salmon Kings,
we’ve got you covered!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Jay Pudota searches for harmful plankton
Did you Know?
The world’s largest beaver dam is in
Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta.
Trivia time!
Which farming area recorded the
highest monthly average sea water
temperature of 15C in
September 2013?
Answer on Page 4
Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) is taking
a three prong approach to dealing with
harmful plankton (also known as algae)
blooms as water temperatures continue to
rise in the Pacific Ocean.
to 20 metres. Rising air bubbles push cold,
clean, oxygenated water to the surface
where plankton generally accumulates.
This dispersal of plankton allows salmon to
survive and continue to eat during blooms.
British Columbia’s biggest aquaculture
company is investing in new equipment,
pursuing research and development, and
changing its operating procedures to protect
salmon from potentially lethal plankton.
As well as capital expenditure on equipment,
MHC has employed plankton expert Jay
Pudota, who is dedicated to researching
harmful algae. Jay has overseen the
introduction of daily plankton monitoring
using digital microscopes at all sites and
capabilities for remote login when sites need
assistance, as well as nutrient monitoring
and satellite chlorophyll imagery.
Comments about
this Newsletter?
Plankton blooms occur naturally and have
long been accepted as a risk for ocean
aquaculture, however MHC believes that
with a strategic approach the risk will be
lowered significantly.
Please email comments,
articles and ideas to Ian Roberts,
Director of Public Affairs, at
[email protected]
The company has now fitted a majority
of its salmon farms with state-of-the-art
air compressor systems which supply a
constant flow to diffusers at a depth of 15
The third defence is to integrate plankton
mitigation into daily operations. On the
west and north coast of Vancouver Island,
where more harmful plankton historically
occurs , MHC’s daily procedures for salmon
Continued on page 2
Centralised team to
support operations
The Saltwater Production Department
has recently launched its “New Vision” for
Marine Harvest Canada, and within this
vision we have created the Operational
Support Team led by Darren Ingersoll.
The specialized team will provide support
to all the farm sites for harvesting,
maintenance, marine logistics, net
management, cage and mooring projects,
treatments, and remotely operated net
cleaning. This will allow the farm staff to
focus on core duties such as feeding, fish
husbandry and continually improving fish
performance.
The Operational Support Team is based
out of the Campbell River office but will be
Back (l-r) Kristian Fraser, Rodney Clarke, James Rogers, Gerry Burry
Front (l-r) Jessie Laverdure, Darren Ingersoll, Dave Pederson, Jeanine Sumner
‘boots on the ground’ with regular presence
on our farms. Further opportunities will
be created as we develop our teams so keep
your eye out for job postings.
2016 is a year of transition for MHC
Saltwater so moving forward with
centralization we expect many more
synergies to come.
The Oyster River Enhancement Society is
preparing for summer droughts by building
a new riffle in the Oyster River. A riffle is
a structure that raises the level of a small
section of river - in this case it will ensure
the water level stays above an intake pipe
that feeds fresh water to their coho-rearing
channels. The rock structure will be built in
August. The project will be funded by the
Pacific Salmon Foundation, in-kind
support from DFO, and $3,000 from
Marine Harvest.
Rising ocean temperatures require plankton mitigation
Continued on page 1
farming have evolved to include plankton
monitoring and quick responses to blooms.
Daily temperature readings taken at five
metre depths at every Marine Harvest farm
show an increase in water temperatures
of up to 2C over two years. This warming
2
trend creates a favourable environment for
plankton and contributes to the physical
stress on cold-water loving salmon.
“Wild fish can move away from plankton,
but our farm-raised salmon are unable to
move out of the way of a plankton bloom
MarineHarvest.ca
so we must be vigilant and proactive at
managing this risk,” Jay says. “Harmful
plankton may poison or become a severe
irritant to the gills, causing salmon to suffer
or, at worst, die.”
Living a full life at home and work
compliance prior to audits, and Jean is
involved in this process.
Jean was born in Orillia, Ontario and lived
in Quebec, Alberta, Prince Edward Island,
Nova Scotia and Ontario as her father
was in the military. She began and ended
her education in Nova Scotia and has two
brothers and sisters. Following grade 12,
Jean relocated to B.C. (her parents are
from here) and eventually settled in the
Comox Valley with her husband Keith.
The couple has a son and daughter, both in
their 30s. Jean’s pride and joy are her four
grandchildren, ranging in age from 1 month
to 21 years old.
“My first roommate and I are still best
friends after 41 years,” Jean says.
By Gina Forsyth
For Jean Veale, Food Safety Assurance
Technician, the pride in her job is obvious.
“Food safety at Marine Harvest matters a
whole lot. We sell a food product and there
must be confidence in its quality,” Jean says.
She’s responsible for a variety of duties
all related to food safety. Once a year all
customers, whether they’re in Canada, the
US or overseas, are sent letters of assurance
that the fish they purchase is produced by
a company that it is federally registered
with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
(CFIA) and compliant with all HACCP
(Hazardous Analysis Critical Control
Point) regulations.
In addition, the food safety team is always
looking at what could become an issue. “A
lot of thought goes into providing as much
information as possible. It’s accuracy above
all,” Jean says.
A case in point was the radiation leak at the
Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan following
their earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The
company proactively tested for radiation in
its finished product.
“People were concerned and we were able
to respond to that issue immediately,”
Jean says. “We provided customers the
confidence that the event had not affected
our salmon and that all product was safe.”
The company’s processing plants in Port
Hardy and Klemtu are certified by the
CFIA. Each facility must be audited
by an internal team each year to ensure
MarineHarvest.ca
It was while she and Keith owned a snack
bar in the Comox Mall that she met a
former Marine Harvest employee in 1999
which led to Jean joining the company as a
receptionist that same year.
Away from the office, Jean is an avid
gardener who is proud to be growing garlic
for the first time, a quilter, and a bookworm.
“My mom got me into a quilting course and
I haven’t looked back. My current project
is a queen sized ‘log cabin’ design that is a
challenge to create.”
Last but certainly not least: Jean and Keith
have a shitzu/terrier cross named Duster.
“My life is full, at home and at work,”
enthuses Jean.
3
Mythbusting about sun protection
Kevin Sauve, BC Cancer Agency (reprinted with permission)
MHC is pleased to continue its
decade-long support for the annual
Dry Grad at Carihi Secondary
School. 2016 graduate Michelle Van
Zeeland poses with the photos of her
graduating class.
As the days grow longer, sleeves
inevitably grow shorter. Warmth and
sunshine can make us feel great, but
ultraviolet radiation can also cause skin
cancer. Skin cancer is the uncontrolled
growth of abnormal skin cells, and it’s
the most prevalent form of all cancers
in Canada.
“The good news is there are plenty of
ways you can protect yourself,” says Dr.
Harvey Lui, a dermatologist at the BC
Cancer Agency. “The bad news is that
there are quite a few misconceptions
about sun protection that prevent
people from taking necessary
precautions.”
Visit our blog at MarineHarvest.ca
to read five popular myths about sun
protection, along with some simple
things you can do to keep your skin out
of trouble.
MHC’s 2016 Employee Recognition Day was
held recently at the Thunderbird Hall in
Campbell River.
Employees get their
just rewards
About 180 people attended the lunch time
celebration which included entertainment,
awards, and a salmon barbecue cooked by
our in-house chefs and served by senior
managers.
Topping the recognition list for long service
was 25 years to Cilka LaTrace and 20 years
each to John Illet and Peter (Scott) Moult.
The coveted Sterling Cup for the highest
level of saltwater production was awarded
to Althorpe.
Check out our Facebook page for more photos
of the event
MarineHarvest.ca
Answer: Quatsino
4
Port Hardy processing plant recognized for commitment to trades
Representatives from the Industry
Training Authority (ITA) dropped by
Marine Harvest’s processing plant in Port
Hardy last month to officially recognize
the company’s commitment to training
apprentices and investing in B.C.’s skilled
labour workforce. Seven tradespeople
are employed at the facility, with three
more in training. Trades employed at the
plant include millwright, refrigeration,
wastewater treatment, and warehousing.
“A big part of our success at our plant
is because of our professional group of
tradespeople,” said Maintenance Manager
Andy Beech while accepting a Certificate
of Recognition from Doug Podetz,
Apprenticeship Advisor at ITA.
Marine Harvest’s Andy Beech (left) accepts a Certificate of Recognition from ITA’s Doug Podetz
The ITA leads and coordinates British
Columbia’s trades system with a mandate
to develop a skilled workforce that is ready
to meet the challenges of B.C.’s expanding
industries.
Seafood buyers tour
The BC Salmon Farmers Association
coordinated tours for a large group of
international buyers and media who
attended the Comox Valley Shellfish
and Seafood Festival in June.
One group of buyers from China and Germany tour Okisollo farm
MarineHarvest.ca
5
July is our
barbeque peak
Whether you are in Port Hardy, Port
McNeill, Sayward or Campbell River this
month, the Marine Harvest barbeque
is coming to a park near you! So far
the MHC bbq trailer and its dedicated
volunteers have clocked up 10 events
and raised thousands of dollars for local
groups.
MHC employees who would like to
volunteer at a charitable BBQ should
contact Cori Wheeler at cwheeler73@
hotmail.com.
Go online to see the full schedule:
http://www.marineharvest.ca/people/
supporting-the-community/bbqapplication-form/
On World Oceans Day, Port Hardy Mayor Hank Bood and Councillor Pat Corbett-Labatt enjoyed a
salmon burger cooked by MHC’s Ian Roberts and Chris Tomasi (far right).
Up and coming BBQs
Charity
Date
Location
Serving Time
BC Professional FireFighters - Burn Fund
Canada Day Celebration
1-Jul-16
Campbell River - Robert Ostler Park
Lunch
Broughton Curling Club Port McNeill Logger Sports
2-Jul-16
Port McNeill - Broughton Blvd Waterfront
Lunch
Port Hardy Volunteer Firefighter Association Filomi Days
16-Jul-16
Port Hardy - Market Street - Carrot Park
Lunch
Sayward Futures Society Oscar Daze Slo-Pitch Tournament
31-Jul-16
Sayward - H’Kusam Park
Dinner
Campbell River
Salmon Kings, we’ve
got you covered!
MHC was happy to buy a shelter for the
youth swimming club as part of a new three
year partnership. The club started 54 years
ago at Moose Falls, then Rotary Beach, then
McIvor Lake and eventually to Centennial
Pool. Children compete in swim meets
across the island as they work their way to
the provincials at the end of August.
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6
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