Aquaculture facility in Norway. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority continues to receive notifications of new cases of infectious salmon anaemia along the coast.
Photo: Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet).
Norway's cases of infectious salmon anemia (ISA) continue to spread, with the news that two sites operated by Lerøy Seafood Group and Måsøval have confirmed infections, while reports of other suspected cases are also mounting up.
The latest confirmed case of ISA affects Lerøy Seafood Group's site at sea location 24735 Gulholmen in Bjørnafjorden municipality, Vestland county. The company notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority of a suspected case on 28 May, and the diagnosis was confirmed on 6 June following analysis by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.
Måsøval also previously reported a suspected case of ISA at its Fjølværet operations in Frøya municipality, Trøndelag county, on 24 May, which has since been officially confirmed by authorities on 4 June.
Meanwhile, in recent days, a further suspected case has been registered at another site in Frøya municipality, this time operated by Mowi. The suspected case, at sea location Munkskjæra 36877, was notified on 31 May, but has not yet been confirmed by Norwegian authorities.
Once ISA is confirmed at a farming site, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority imposes a restriction zone of 10-20 kilometers to prevent further spread of the disease, and may also order the fish to be culled.
"Everyone who travels in the area and carries out activities related to fish farming must show the necessary care so that the spread of any disease is avoided. [...] If the suspicion is confirmed, a restriction zone will be established shortly to prevent, limit and combat ISA. A restriction zone consists of a protection zone and a monitoring zone and will entail restrictions, among other things, on traffic in the area around the site," the Authority states on its website.
