SNOWE, COLLINS ANNOUNCE NEARLY $300,000 IN INFECTIOUS SALMON ANEMIA VACCINE FUNDING

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today announced $296,000 in federal funding to provide Recombinant ISA Virus Vaccines to farmed Atlantic salmon within Maine. The grant is awarded to Maine Biotek as part of the Small Business Innovation Research Program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"This federal funding will assist in the immunization of salmon against the Recombinant Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus that could pose significant harm to Maine's population of salmon," Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement. "This vaccine will assist in Maine's ongoing efforts to protect the endangered species and restore Atlantic salmon."

The Recombinant ISA Virus Vaccine works to keep salmon immune from Infectious Salmon Anemia, a viral disease of farmed Atlantic salmon. Atlantic salmon infected with Infectious Salmon Anemia virus are clinically lethargic, fail to swim upright, and have petechial hemorrhage on their skin and fins.

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