“Following investigation, Marine Scotland’s test results for the site came back negative for any notifiable disease.”
Scottish salmon producer and processor Loch Duart has rejected reports of an Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) outbreak at one of the company’s sites.
Documents originating from the Scottish Government Fish Health Inspectorate, and circulated by prominent anti salmon activists, show that a single fish tested positive for ISA at the company’s Lochmaddy site in November 2023.
ISA is a viral disease that can result in serious economic losses in the salmon farming industry.
Clinical signs in infected fish can include lethargy, swimming close to the water surface or the sides of cages, pale gills, swollen abdomen, and sometimes, internal and external hemorrhaging.
The disease is a concern for aquaculture operations because of its potential to cause high mortality rates and its impact on fish health and farm productivity.
“In line with Loch Duart’s commitment to transparency in reporting any potential environmental challenges, they contacted Marine Scotland last Autumn about a health concern on one of their sites, a spokesperson for the company told SalmonBusiness.
“Following investigation, Marine Scotland’s test results for the site came back negative for any notifiable disease.”
Regulators issued a withdrawal notice, confirming the absence of infection, and the fish at the site are thriving, said the company.
“Any messages which insinuate that there has been a wider infection issue at this site are purely malicious and inflammatory,” wrote the spokesperson for the company.
