The escape occurred after one of the cage’s moorings broke causing part of the pen to sink.
Mowi has confirmed that an estimated 27,000 salmon escaped following a cage failure at its Storvika V facility in Dyrøy, Troms on Sunday, February 9.
The company has now emptied the affected cage and is working closely with authorities and local partners to contain the impact.
The escape occurred after one of the cage’s moorings broke, causing structural damage and allowing fish to escape. “This is very regrettable and something that should not happen,” Mowi stated in a press release on Monday.
Mowi has extended its gratitude to the Coast Guard Ship Svalbard, along with AQS, Frøy, and Finnsnes Dykk og Anleggsservice, as well as its own employees, for their efforts in responding to the incident under challenging weather conditions.
Bounty Offered for Recaptured Fish
To mitigate the impact, Mowi is offering a bounty of NOK 500 ($44.50) per escaped salmon caught by registered fishermen.
Fishermen must register the number of salmon caught, which will be recorded on the final bill as farmed salmon with a price of NOK 0. The fish reception center will retain the recovered salmon.
Ongoing Investigations and Response
The incident follows a period of severe weather disruptions along the Norwegian coast, highlighting ongoing challenges in securing farmed salmon infrastructure. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries is expected to oversee further investigations into the cause of the mooring failure and evaluate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Mowi has stated that it remains committed to strengthening containment measures and ensuring the highest standards of operational security at its facilities.
