Underwater Footage Reveals Infectious Blood Being Pumped Into Canadian River by a Pipe

Over the past few years, a damning underwater problem has emerged in British Columbia, Canada, as underwater video has shown puffs of red-colored water spewing into the ocean off Campbell River. This incredible phenomenon, otherwise known as “blood water,” raised suspicion and alarm regarding a possible effect on native ecosystems, especially wild salmon populations.

The origin of this polluted water has been linked to fish processing facilities, ones that work with farmed salmon. These facilities are said to be releasing virus-contaminated bloody water into Vancouver Island waters, which just so happen to be on British Columbia’s most extensive wild salmon migratory route.

One of the big concerns with this issue is the presence of the Norwegian Piscine reovirus, a highly contagious fish virus that has been detected in water release samples. The discovery has led experts to label the situation as “potentially dangerous,” as transmission of the virus to wild salmon is a possibility.

The gravity of the situation is also underscored by the continued nature of the issue. Already in December 2017, investigative photojournalist Tavish Campbell first published underwater video footage of the release of this contaminated water. But as near to two years on as 2019, fresh video footage obtained revealed that the “blood pipe” continued to release effluent into the ocean.

CTV News’ Melanie Nagy explained, “New video footage shows blood byproduct is flowing into water right in the way of wild salmon off the B.C. coast.” This long-standing problem has encouraged individuals to advocate for tougher legislation and better treatment of fish plants’ wastewater.

The Brown’s Bay Packing Company, both provincially-licensed and federally-licensed to process fish, has been identified as one of the causes for this contaminated discharge. The company pipe, extending from their processing plant, has been seen to release fish blood into the channel of Discovery Passage.

Following the media reports and public outcry, provincial authorities have launched investigations into the issue. British Columbia Ministry of Environment has asked for fish processing factories to be inspected and is taking a look at their wastewater treatment strategies.

Residents and green groups have demanded swift action against this. According to them, releasing possibly virus-infested blood water poses a significant threat to the already endangered wild salmon population in the area.

As of December, 2019, measures to contain the issue are being taken, but the “blood pipe” remains an issue of concern for environmentalists and local communities alike. The accident reinforces the need for stronger environmental controls in aquaculture and better wastewater treatment processes for fish processing plants.

This problem serves as a sharp reminder of the likely environmental consequence of industrial pursuits on marine wildlife. With further investigation and increased awareness among people, there is optimism that concrete measures will be undertaken to conserve British Columbia’s rich coastal waters’ marine diversity.