The sea lice problem in Iceland has intensified in recent weeks, reaching unprecedented levels.
Mowi-backed Arctic Fish has been compelled to harvest hundreds of metric tons of farmed salmon at its site in Talknafjordur, Iceland, due to a significant increase in sea lice infestations.
The surge in sea lice has led to injuries among the farmed fish, prompting the company to remove a substantial portion of its production.
Arctic Fish acknowledged the challenging situation on its Facebook page, highlighting the rapid escalation of sea lice infestations.
“As reported in the media, there is a difficult situation in Tálknafjörður due to lice. Lice numbers have increased rapidly, which has led to fish getting injured. To respond to this, the company has decided to take a large portion of the fish out,” the company wrote.
The company expressed its commitment to addressing the issue promptly, despite the time required to remove the affected fish.
“We work on it as fast as possible and our staff puts a lot of effort into that matter. However, it will take a few more days to take out this fish. We take this position very seriously as the welfare of fish is a priority for us.”
The sea lice problem in Iceland has intensified in recent weeks, reaching unprecedented levels, according to Icelandic veterinary regulator, MAST.
Meanwhile, Arctic fish rival, Arnarlax, reported in a release last week, that lice levels in the region are so high currently that it is having to use Norwegian wellboat Ronja Strand to mechanically de-lice the fish, for the first time ever.
