21 per cent of cleaner fish died onboard vessel Mowi-owned Northern Harvest site.
Northern Harvest, the Mowi subsidiary which farms salmon in Atlantic Canada, has informed authorities, that “higher than normal mortalities” were observed among lumpfish being transported.
The salmon farmer wrote the mortalities happened in New Brunswick, as a result of issues with water oxygen levels in the hold of the vessel.
Approximately 8,000 lump fish mortalities occurred onboard the vessel from a total of 38,000 fish that were destined for a site in Little Bay, located on the south coast of Newfoundland.
The use of cleanerfish is a part of the company’s sea lice control strategy.
Mowi did not want to say which well boat was involved. The company told SalmonBusiness that it is “still reviewing this matter and are not commenting further beyond our public statement at this time”.
