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Instead, Popham shifted to claim Marty was part of a larger review of research at the provincial lab, spurred by a complaint from the DFO about data quality.

“I’d like to reiterate there is no individual in the lab at the Ministry of Agriculture that is under investigation,” she told the legislature Oct. 23. “But when DFO raises concerns about our research, we take it seriously, as any lab who believes in integrity would.”

“The information that we provide to the DFO fish health audit program, it needs to be based on science,” Popham also said during question period on Monday. “We are verifying research produced by our Animal Health Centre to ensure that we’re making decisions based on science.”

Late Tuesday, Popham’s ministry admitted in a statement that it had received nothing in writing from the federal agency.

“The complaints from the agency have been verbal,” Agriculture Ministry spokesperson Meghan McRae said in an email, when asked to provide any record of communication between B.C. and the federal agency.

McRae pointed to an Oct. 14 CTV W5 story in which DFO scientist Miller was quoted as saying she believed Marty was either in a real or perceived conflict of interest because he has conducted research with coastal fish farm company Marine Harvest.

A spokesperson in the premier’s office said that Popham and Miller had a subsequent conversation on Oct. 17 to expand upon her concerns. DFO later confirmed that conversation, which outlined Miller’s concerns, as unofficial.

“While DFO has not lodged an official complaint, the B.C. government is being diligent in following up on the concerns raised by Dr. Miller,” the federal agency said in its statement late Tuesday.

DFO has a memorandum of understanding with B.C. to test farmed salmon samples until March 31, 2020.

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