More salmon virus found in B.C.

Three weeks after a virus was found in two juvenile wild sockeye on the Pacific Coast, it has been found again — this time in wild salmon from British Columbia’s Fraser River.

The Seattle Times reports the discovery has caused anxiety among researchers and salmon farmers, but it’s too early to say if it signals a fish crisis.

Researchers, salmon farmers and wild-salmon advocates have been on alert since mid-October.

While the virus poses no harm to humans, a related strain killed tens of millions of farmed Atlantic salmon in Chile in 2007 and 2008.

On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell toured a U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in Seattle that specializes in fish diseases to highlight the efforts to create plans to deal with the virus if it spreads.