Háafell's land-based salmon hatchery facility at Nauteyri, Iceland, where the escape incident occurred in early September.
Photo: Hraðfrystihúsið-Gunnvör / Háafell.
Iceland's Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) reported on Friday an escape of salmon fry occurred in early September at the land-based hatchery facility of Háafell - the aquaculture subsidiary of Hraðfrystihúsið-Gunnvör hf. (HG) - at Nauteyri near Ísafjarðardjúp.
According to information reported by MAST, the incident occurred on September 3, 2024, when, just 5 minutes after beginning the transfer of salmon fry between buildings in the hatchery facility, it was discovered that a valve in the drainage pipe was not completely closed.
The fish had passed through the open valve and had reached the shore, so the company immediately activated its response plan for escapes and deployed nets with which about 50 fry were caught. Háafell staff also managed to recover the fry that remained in the drainage system and those floundering on the shoreline. In total, 2,560 fry were recovered.
However, despite the staff efforts, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority reported that, based on the company's biomass register, it cannot be ruled out that approximately 150 fry escaped to the sea. These juveniles were about 120 grams in size and fit for migration to the sea.
As mentioned, Háafell is a subsidiary of Hraðfrystihúsið-Gunnvör and is involved in farming operations in Ísafjörður, Iceland. The company has had aquaculture operations since 2001, first in cod and rainbow trout, but since 2022 has been farming salmon. HG/Háafell's fish farming service center is in Súðavík, but its fry production farm is in Nauteyri.
