SinkabergHansen confirmed the figures after an escape at one of the salmon farmer’s sites in Bindal municipality in Nordland, Northern Norway.
Using the well boat “Viknatrans” on Thursday, 76,115 salmon were registered at its Oksbåsen site. Based on the original number of 125,000, nearly 49,000 registered escaped from the cage, confirmed SinkabergHansen.
The Directorate of Fisheries also confirmed that number.
The escape occurred on Sunday when a tear was discovered in the cage.
Largest escape so far this year in Norway
The average size of the salmon is 2.6 kilograms – and the fish were, after both rounds, transferred to a new cage at the locality.
The escape number from SinkabergHansen is by far the largest that has been registered so far in Norway this year. As of the end of May, the number of escaped salmon was 7,147 salmon from twelve incidents, according to the Directorate of Fisheries.
418 salmon recaptured
The Directorate of Fisheries carried out inspections on the facility on Tuesday, and in consultation with authorities issued an order for extended recapture in the region beyond the required 500m from the plant, as well as orders for monitoring and any withdrawals in watercourses in the region.
Sinkaberg-Hansen has initiated sea recapture measures and is now conducting surveys on relevant watercourses in the region. So far 418 escaped salmon have been caught.
In February last year, 54,000 salmon escaped from Mowi’s locality Geitryggen in Nærøy municipality, Central Norway. Shortly after, around 52,000 fish escaped from another Mowi site, Austvika in the municipality of Flatanger, also Central Norway.
