The detection of the parasite Spironucleus salmonicida has led to the culling of about 1 million fish, weighing approximately 0.7 kg on average, in eight single pens on two farms at Grieg Seafood in the Finnmark region.
The parasite has also been detected in single pens on other farms with fish from the same generation, but there have been no detections on the current generation in the facility that’s being transferred to sea, the company said.
“The majority of the pens have no signs of sickness at all.”
In aquarium fish, the parasite is said to cause foul-smelling, pus-filled abscesses in muscles and internal organs.
The harvest guiding of the Grieg Seafood is not impacted, the company said.
“The source of the parasite is believed to be the water intake to the freshwater facility during a limited period of time between the Autumn of 2021 and Spring of 2022. Measures have been taken and additional measures are under assessment.”
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority ordered the culling.
