Fisheries and Oceans Canada is in Federal Court this week defending a policy that allows salmon farming companies to transfer juvenile salmon from land-based hatcheries into ocean pens without first testing for piscine reovirus (PRV), reports The Star Vancouver.

Biologist Alexandra Morton, represented by Ecojustice, and the 'Namgis First Nation have challenged the federal policy in separate cases that will be heard together.

They argue PVR is a “disease agent” and therefore it should be illegal for salmon carrying the virus to be transferred into the ocean.