Scientist Koestan Gadan has studied how stress in Atlantic Salmon can cause the fish to be more susceptible to disease. She chose to study the IPN virus (infectious pancreatic necrosis), as it is the most common in these types of fish. What Gadan found was that changes in temperature and salinity, too much or too little oxygen in the water, pollution and physical handling are all sources of stress for the salmon. When stressed, the fish produces large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, and weakens their immune system. Because of the changing weather and water patterns, the salmon are becoming more and more stressed, getting sick, and dying at a faster rate. Over time, this can lead to huge economic drops as well as higher mortality rates. The only way to stop this is to keep the waterways as stable as possible by cutting out pollution and human interference. I think that laws should be passed against littering/dumping in the habitat of the Atlantic Salmon, and that those found guilty of these crimes should be highly fined and/or imprisoned.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130102083557.htm
This seems like a very interesting issue, but I can't help but ask a few questions of my own. This disease appears to have become erratic among populations, but what does this mean for future generations of salmon? Another point is that nowhere in the article was it said that these salmon are endangered in terms of population collapse. With that said, what level of awareness does this issue present to a national/global scale? I am most eager to know because I remember vividly that salmon have actually been overpopulating so this could actually be beneficial if nothing else.
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