Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Sea Shepherd and Crew Launch 'Virus Hunter II'

Sea Shepherd Research Vessel Returns to Canada to Investigate Farmed Salmon Industry


by Sea Shepherd Society


July 26, 2017

Biologist Alexandra Morton, actor/activist Martin Sheen, environmentalist David Suzuki kick off campaign on July 27th

View campaign details here

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is re-teaming with renowned Canadian biologist Alexandra Morton for Operation Virus Hunter II, the non-profit's wild salmon defense campaign. It launches July 27th with a 1pm press conference at Vancouver’s False Creek Harbor aboard Sea Shepherd’s R/V Martin Sheen.

Morton, environmental activist and broadcaster David Suzuki, and Traditional First Nation leaders Willie Moon and Farron Alexander Soukochoff of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation tribe will be among the speakers at the press conference. Actor/activist Martin Sheen, the ship’s namesake, will also be in attendance.


July 27, 2017

False Creek Harbor Authority,
1505 W. 1st Ave. Vancouver, BC

1p.m. @ Dock XX

Pacific Northwest salmon are threatened by open-net salmon farms that share the same migratory route. These farms are breeding grounds for disease and parasites which spread to the surrounding waters and put wild salmon in danger.

As with last year’s inaugural Operation Virus Hunter campaign, Morton will once again travel aboard the Sheenover the course of several weeks, stopping at various salmon farms to conduct audits for disease and other factors.

Morton’s findings from the 2016 research mission were summarized in this end-of-campaign video:




“I have worked to protect wild salmon from the catastrophic impact of salmon farms for 31 years,” said Morton.
 “I am enormously grateful to Sea Shepherd, because they dare to take a close look at exactly what is happening in these industrial facilities.”

"The farming of this exotic alien species (Atlantic salmon) is a lethal assault on wild salmon populations, an insensitive assault on the First Nations, and a shocking assault upon the marine ecology of British Columbia’s marine ecosystems,” added Sea Shepherd founder and C.E.O. Captain Paul Watson.
“The government’s duty should be to protect the rights of the First Nations, to defend the wild salmon and not to cater to a foreign controlled destructive salmon farming industry.”


To learn more about Operation Virus Hunter and what you can do to help, click here: http://www.seashepherd.org/virus-hunter/


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 24, 2017

Media Inquiries: Zorianna Kit - Zorianna@seashepherd.org or call
323-697-5307

ABOUT ALEXANDRA MORTON: Alexandra Morton has dedicated over three decades to protecting wild salmon from the disease and sea lice that pours out of salmon farms. Morton has been featured on 60 Minutes, published dozens of scientific papers on impact of salmon farms, and has taken the fishing industry to court among other efforts. She began studying wild orcas in 1984 and moved her focus to salmon farms when they arrived and began to negatively affect the whales and the environment.

ABOUT THE R/V MARTIN SHEEN:The R/V Martin Sheen is a 92-foot sailing ketch acquired in Los Angeles in 2014 and named for long-time celebrity supporter, Martin Sheen. The Martin Sheen conducts a combination of research, education and anti-poaching work. To learn more about the ship and the man who bears its name, click here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6UmCj24zp8

For media inquiries please email Zorianna Kit atzorianna@seashepherd.org or call323-697-5307.

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