Fisheries Scientist Kristi Miller Muzzled about Wild Salmon Collapse Study

The fin of a sockeye salmon taken at Roderick-Haig Brown Regional Park during the sockeye run in October 2010. Top bureaucrats in Ottawa have muzzled a leading fisheries scientist whose discovery could help explain why salmon stocks have been crashing off Canada's West Coast, according to documents obtained by Postmedia News.

 

Kristi Miller, a Canadian scientist who published a study on the collapse of Canada’s West Coast salmon in the leading research journal Science has been muzzled by Ottowa’s Privy Council Office from speaking about the research. The research showed a possible link between farm raised salmon exposing wild salmon to disease. Miller’s research is funded by the Canadian government, and new rules about what scientists can and cannot say are quite alarming. As an article on Canada.com stated:  

The Harper government has tightened the leash on federal scientists, whose work is financed by taxpayers and is often of significant public interest — be it about fish stocks, air pollution or food safety. 

Researchers, who used to be free to discuss their science, are now required to follow a process that includes “media lines” approved by communications officers, strategists and ministerial staff in Ottawa. They vet media requests, demand reporters’ questions in advance and decide when and if researchers can give interviews.

 

Read more at the Canada.com article.

 

 

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