Isolation and identification of Tenacibaculum bacteria from a Chinook Salmon saltwater production site

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Tenacibaculum bacteria are found in coastal marine environments worldwide, including Canada. Several Tenacibaculum species have been shown to be opportunistic pathogens on cultured Atlantic salmon, however, there is a limited understanding of the marine ecology of this bacteria and of Tenacibaculum infections in Pacific salmon. This project aims to identify Tenacibaculum bacteria within and surrounding a Chinook salmon saltwater production site in British Columbia. The project will build on a strong partnership between University of Guelph (UGuelph), Vancouver Island University (VIU), Creative Salmon Company Ltd. and the BC Center for Aquatic Health Sciences (CAHS). The objectives of this project are to 1) collect and test water samples for Tenacibaculum species in and around Chinook salmon saltwater net-pen site; 2) collect and test Chinook salmon tissue for Tenacibaculum species during saltwater production; 3) collect and test biotic (invertebrates) and abiotic (net-pen infrastructure) organisms and surfaces at the saltwater production site for Tenacibaculum species and 4) utilize a high-throughput molecular assay to investigate Tenacibaculum species community distribution and relative abundance in collected samples. This project will provide an understanding of the presence of Tenacibaculum species in the wider marine environment and aide in our understanding for the potential of the bacteria to colonise pacific salmon.