Måsøval will receive NOK 12.8 million in compensation from the Norwegian state.
Photo: Øyvind Nordahl Næss/ Måsøval.
Norwegian salmon farming company Måsøval has secured compensation from the Norwegian state following a "misdiagnosis" of a virus causing pancreas disease at one of its fish farms in 2019.
On 23 December, a Norwegian court found in favour of the salmon producer, ordering the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to pay out NOK 12.8 million in compensation. The parties in the case were notified of the judgement on 29 December.
In August 2019, Norwegian state officials said they had detected salmonid alphavirus subtype 3 (PD SAV3), a highly infectious virus which causes pancreas disease, at Måsøval's Kattholmen facility in Kristiansund municipality.
As a result, Måsøval was ordered to cull most of its fish at the facility, and did the same at its neighbouring Or facility.
However, the authorities' initial finding turned out to be a misdiagnosis, due to a laboratory error at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.
In November 2022, the Norwegian state acknowledged liability for the misdiagnosis, but at that time did not recognise a causal link between the misdiagnosis and the financial loss suffered by Måsøval.
Aerial view of Måsøval facilities.
Måsøval originally claimed NOK 29.8 million in compensation for incurred losses, launching its legal action with a claim lodged with Trondelag District Court in Central Norway. The court has decided to award the company NOK 12.8 million.
The judgement means the company will receive less than half of this amount. According to a press announcement by Måsøval, the compensation is to cover loss of earnings and incurred expenses as a result of the misdiagnosis, which occurred in spring 2023, plus accrued interest and delayed interest.
Måsøval is an integrated producer of Atlantic salmon with more than 50 years of operational experience. Located in Central Norway in the region west of Trondheim, Måsøval has both significant farming operations at sea and inhouse smolt production. Through its majority ownership in the processing and distribution company Pure Norwegian Seafood AS, Måsøval is processing and exporting high quality Atlantic salmon to a global marketplace.