Some three years ago, I published on my blog, an article I came across, to see what others had to say. Recently, I was approached by a reader from (would you believe it) Richmond (not me!) has prompted me to review this blogged article… and rightly so.

Well, if you’re ever unsure about material circulating around the internet, Snopes.com do some good fact-checking. The mentioned article appears to be all patched together, from unrelated content, to produce this hoax:

• http://www.snopes.com/radioactive-salmon-fukushima/
• http://www.snopes.com/fukushima-radiation-marine-photos/

Our reader had also gone to the trouble of finding the original sources of some of the pictures that have been used inappropriately in the article:

• The alleged color map of radiation spread, is actually a map showing the tsunami waves spread across the Pacific Ocean (radiation itself travels in straight lines).
• Fish with white tumour: the genuine 2010 original source of this photo – https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/09/17/deformed_fish_found_in_lake_downstream_from_oilsands.html

It also appears that Turner Radio Network is illegitimate, and the Google link to it, brings you to a worrisome site. And Wikipedia even has a page dedicated to "Hal Turner" (yikes!)

Our reader also provided a link to the work that has been performed through DEC regarding testing of fish samples for radiation – http://dec.alaska.gov/eh/Radiation/index.html

You can find the mentioned article at this link –https://thefishvet.com/2014/07/09/are-you-eating-fukushima-radiation-and-bloody-cancerous-tumors-in-fish-contaminated-by-radiation/

Please do, continue to send in your feedback on any of the hundreds of articles that I have published in the past, and that will be publishing into the future.

Keep Fishie in, and keep anything Fishy out.

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—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology), CertAqV, CMAVA, NATA Signatory.
Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist
THE FISH VET, AUSTRALIA – PERTH | SYDNEY | MELBOURNE | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND

Mobile Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.

• W: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
• Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383
• Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.
• Skype: thefishvet
• President WAVMA 2014

I receiveda good question related to my last post (https://thefishvet.com/2017/07/19/biosecure-australia-intends-to-let-loose-a-devastating-fish-virus-join-the-discussion/).

Question:Richmond, from your perspective, do you think that the release of KHV can be prevented at this point? I agree with your concerns and I share many of the concerns raised in the previous WAVMA webinar on the topic; particularly those surrounding the environmental impacts of large scale, rapid death and decay of fish in the waterways. And the fact that there is "no going back" once it happens. However, I get the impression that the government is set in its plan to release the virus, no matter what research findings reveal and no matter what opposition they meet. Am I being too defeatist? Do you think it’s possible to change their plans?

My response:
As part of the stakeholder consultation process, an official Facebook Page was setup (link – https://www.facebook.com/auscarpplan/). If you try clicking on it…

You get this message:
The page you requested cannot be displayed at the moment. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may be broken or expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.

Makes me wonder why it has been taken off-line. Perhaps it exposed the great degree of opposition they were faced with, and weren’t prepared with answers to address many concerns.

I would have thought that a consultation process would have been better to have taken place at the beginning of the program. This would allow the program to fashion research to adress aspects of concern to stakeholders (environmentalists, biologists, aquatic veterinarians, fishermen, water users, members of the community, and others).

A consultation process that is timed to occur only after investing 10 years of funding… this defeatist attitude is entirely understandable.

There are many safe alternatives to KHV. And if KHV is released now, it will nullify any effect, alternative measures could have.

Now it appears that one of the stakeholders have reopened discussions, on another Facebook Page –
https://www.facebook.com/auscarpplandiscussion/

I encourage everyone, no matter what your opinion, to have open factual discussions on that FB Page.

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.

Watch this very worrying video regarding a section of the Australian government wanting to release an exotic animal disease in our environment

– https://youtu.be/wWyIShiYZeE

The parts that jumped out at me:

• The sheer scale of mass fish kills we’d witness if KHV is released.

• Then the unimaginable consequential environmental destruction.

• Another thing to note is that China is the single largest nation of carp consumers. And Australian food exports and farming are heavily reliant on China as a trade partner. How will the presence of KHV affect trade? And, how will China see Australia, if the KHV we release, inadvertently finds its way to cause destruction of China’s carp farms?

Join the discussion here –
https://www.facebook.com/auscarpplandiscussion/

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.

So, about November last year, they put out some barramundi for people to go fishing and called it a great success… (see previous post –

https://thefishvet.com/2016/12/28/wild-tropical-ornamental-fish-and-barramundi-in-the-middle-of-temperate-victoria-in-cooling-ponds-of-hazelwood-power-station/).

Now the ponds are no longer warmed by the power station, and there has been mass deaths of thousands of barramundi.

“Remarkably, a spokesman for Victoria Fisheries still described the manipulation of mother nature a success.”

I wonder how the mass fish kill has affected water quality and the local environment; and whether fishermen have been recruited to help with the clean-up process.

I can predict these animals will develop skin sores and fungal infections, and all die out before long.

Read more here – http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/tragic-mass-nt-barra-carnage/news-story/6239a8f38f2aa01f7595b705a5c7a5d5

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au

Ph: +61 421 822 383

Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.

Q: A German hotel for cetaceans…

A: Adolph Inn.
Have a FINtastic week! R <+>{

Fish Health Manager/Fish Veterinarian Position

Tassal Group Limited

Location: Margate, Tasmania, Australia

Applications close 5 pm Monday, 7 August 2017

 

A dynamic opportunity exists with Australia’s leading salmon and seafood company, Tassal Group Limited (TGR), as Australia’s leading salmon and seafood company. We provide a professional and highly rewarding environment for our team of over 1,200, and pride ourselves on our industry leadership position as we strive for excellence across our four critical factors of success (4P’s) – Our People, Our Planet, Our Product and Our Performance.

 

If you want to make a change within the aquaculture industry, then this role is your opportunity to identify and drive it. Reporting to the Head of Aquaculture, you will be responsible for achieving strategic objectives in respect to fish health including health strategy, management, research, and welfare certifications. Applicants need to be a dynamic and driven individual, with a “can-do” attitude to will bring a level of excitement to the team.  We are looking for results that are driven from a mix of experience, new ideas, and new ways of maximising returns based on leading edge fish health initiatives. A veterinarian with demonstrated fish health experience, and strong personnel and project leadership, would be ideal.  The key aspects we are looking for is an outcome driven, agile thinker who is capable of defining our fish health direction.  In this position, you will be able to recognise opportunities through strong technical experience, and be capable of turning your technical ability into commercial reality.

 

Interested? – If so, for a confidential discussion, please contact Angela Quinn (HR Manager) on +61 408 338 391, or apply now at http://tinyurl.com/ycb8low. 

For additional information about Tassal Tasmanian Salmon, go to http://www.tassal.com.au/working-at-tassal/  

 

Regards,

Dave

A. David Scarfe PhD, DVM, MRSSAf, CertAqV

Aquatic Veterinary Associates International, LLC

365 Monarch Birch Ct., Bartlett, IL 60103, USA

+1 (847) 650-4628 or (International) +1 (515) 203-7972

dscarfe@ameritech.net or adscarfe@gmail.com

 

Consider presenting or attending the 2017 WAVMA Conference and Annual General Meeting 2017 in Tirgu Mures, Romania (12-14 September) 

Imagine this: a simple water test and you’re able to make a diagnosis of Chilodonella or white spot disease. And all even before fish show signs of illness!

Check out the cutting-edge technology that The Fish Vet’s team member is working on.

eDNA stands for environmental deoxyribose nucleic acid or DNA found in the environment (e.g. water, soil, saliva, faeces, etc).

The initial purpose of eDNA methodology is for aquaculturists to avoid serious losses (deaths, inappetance, poor growth, increased production time, disease spread, cost of medicines, cost of diagnostics, delayed harvest, gaps in production, replacement costs, loss of breed lines, etc.) due to disease outbreaks, for the better health and welfare of their fish stocks.

I’d imagine that this will eventually be within the reach of aquarium hobbyists too. So there will be no more guess work for DIY fish doctors, to get the right diagnosis, for the right treatment.

Read more about it here – https://thefishsite.com/articles/environmental-dna-sampling-shows-huge-potential-for-aquaculture

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au

Ph: +61 421 822 383

Have a FINtastic week! R <+>{

I recently received a question from Indonesia, and we receive many similar questions also from India, USA and Europe.

Fish Vetting Essentials is a generalist book with a focus on water quality and fish diseases, and a section on simple treatment protocols.

Fish Vetting Medicines is a more specialised book on the medicines available with dose rates for the treatment of fish diseases. It is set out like a dictionary of drugs.

Fish Vetting Techniques and Practical Tips DVD demonstrates diagnostic and therapeutic techniques used by aquatic animal health professionals. The highlights are the videos of microscopic parasites, treatments and necropsy procedures.

These resources are useful for veterinarians and fish owners to use together.

Resources are available from – http://thefishvet.com.au/shop/shopping.html

To find an aquatic veterinarian in your area, use this directory – https://www.aquavetmed.info/

Watch a TheFishVet at work – http://tinyurl.com/thefishdoctor

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.

Remember the princess who kissed a frog? Well, looks like she will never catch the flu!
There is a peptide named urumin that binds to haemagglutinin, which is on the influenza (flu) virus, destabilising and killing the virus.
Imagine taking a spoonful of frog mucus syrup, to cure your winter flu!

Yummy!

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au

Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.