Atlantic salmon being raised at a B.C. fish farm. Photograph By Marine Harvest Canada
A fish scientist at the centre of a debate about fish farms says he鈥檚 not surprised people think there might be a conflict of interest at his lab.
Gary Marty, a fish pathologist at the province鈥檚 Animal Health Centre, said the lab conducts work for both the fish-farm industry and government.
鈥淐ertainly the potential for conflict of interest, I discussed this with our other staff, and it鈥檚 certainly there,鈥� Marty said.
Agriculture Minister Lana Popham has come under fire this week for saying she would investigate the 鈥渋ntegrity鈥� of the lab鈥檚 science 鈥� a move the Opposition Liberals criticized as politically motivated and inappropriate.
Popham initially said the review came at the request of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, before the federal department said that wasn鈥檛 true. DFO said it never made an official request, but one of its scientists expressed concerns.
On Wednesday, Premier John Horgan said he had assigned his deputy minister, who is the head of the public service, to oversee the review.
鈥淚 think the review is welcome,鈥� Marty said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 anticipate any problems with the response, but if there are some suggestions we can take, we鈥檒l go ahead and make adjustments as needed.鈥�
"The Animal Health Centre is the only place in Canada with team of board-certified veterinary pathologists who specialize in fish and work in an accredited diagnostic laboratory, Marty said."
鈥淚f someone wants those parameters for examination of their fish, there鈥檚 only one place in Canada where they can get that done. And that鈥檚 our lab,鈥� Marty said.
The lab informs clients when it might have another client with a potential conflict of interest, he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something we have to deal with all the time.鈥�
Marty said he did not take the allegations, in which he has been named, as a personal attack.
鈥淚 saw it more as an attack on the entire lab than an attack personally.鈥�
