Transcript: August 23, 2011 Hearing Transcript

Summary:
Questioning of the Disease witness panel continued today. This included discussion about why diseases from fish farms were not addressed in Technical Report 1 (Infectious Diseases and Potential Impacts on Survival of Fraser River Sockeye Salmon); why certain seminal papers relating to fish farm diseases were not included in this Technical Report (see evidentiary documents); and how a thorough review of farmed fish health databases were not conducted for the purposes of this Report.

Witnesses:

• Dr. Stewart Johnson (Head, Aquatic Animal Health, DFO)
• Dr. Michael Kent (Professor, Microbiology & Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University)
• Dr. Christine MacWilliams (Fish Health Veterinarian – Salmonid Enhancement Program, DFO)
• Dr. Craig Stephen (Director, Centre for Coastal Health & Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary)

See evidentiary documents page for a listing of key exhibits discussed at the hearings.

News Coverage resulting from August 23rd Cohen hearings:

• Vancouver Sun; August 24, 2011; “DFO ignored request to explain why test rejected – Virus may have weakened wild sockeye population”
• CBC News; August 23, 2011; “Fish scientist accused of avoiding research”
• Globe and Mail; August 23, 2011; “Fisheries and Oceans researcher Kristi Miller still not talking”
• Canadian Press; August 23, 2011; “Fish researcher accused of not doing his homework”