The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) has issued a warning to Mowi, Norway’s largest salmon producer, regarding elevated sea lice levels at its Skipningsdalen facility in Flekkefjord, Agder.
Mowi could face a fine of NOK 465,526 ($43,000) per day if the lice levels are not reduced by September 9, according to Norwegian newspaper E24.
The warning follows a report showing that the lice levels at the facility reached an average of 0.93 adult female lice per fish, nearly double the legal limit of 0.5 lice.
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Mowi’s Communications Director, Ola Helge Hjetland, stated that the company has since managed to bring the lice levels back below the threshold within the required timeframe.
“We experienced an unexpected surge in lice, but our staff handled the situation very well and quickly brought the levels down. The facility now has very low lice levels,” said Hjetland.
This notification comes shortly after a similar warning was issued to SalMar, another major player in the industry, which attributed the rise in lice to warmer sea temperatures.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority emphasized that the lice limit must be consistently adhered to and that salmon farmers are responsible for implementing preventative measures to minimize the impact of lice on both farmed and wild salmon.
In recent months, there has been an increase in reported cases of lice exceeding legal limits, which officials suggest may be linked to higher sea temperatures. The challenge of controlling sea lice remains a significant issue for salmon farmers, affecting both the welfare of the fish and the financial viability of the operations.
If lice levels become too high in a region, producers may be forced to reduce production, potentially leading to significant financial losses.
