Gigante cuts production after fish losses

Norwegian land-based fish farming company Gigante Salmon has announced that it is reducing its production by around 300,000 fish — almost half of the stock released into its tanks last month.

This is the second batch for the company at its newly completed site at Rødøy in northern Norway. Gigante revealed at the end of January that it was experiencing significant mortality issues related to this release of smolt.

The 300,000 reduction corresponds to the volume of the second smolt delivery. Gigante Salmon said it has collaborated with its fish health services partner to investigate the cause of the mortality and to implement mitigating measures.

Gigante said no single factor has been identified, but rather it is down to a combination of several causes.

The smolt in the second delivery was of lower quality for several reasons; among them, delayed delivery due to a late start-up of the facility.

Other identified causes include recorded mortality during loading onto the wellboat, which may have resulted in lower water quality during transportation, and this combined with bad weather during the period meant that the second delivery spent longer in the boat than planned.

The Oslo Stock Exchange announcement states: “There was also a low sea temperature (3.8 degrees centigrade) at the time of release.

The facility itself is functioning well and as intended. Seawater is being pumped in as planned and the water chemistry is good.

“The fish are doing well in the longitudinal tanks, which are now operating with a water velocity of about 20 cm/second.

“We are gaining valuable experience for future production. If the fish aren’t doing well, neither are we. Our employees are doing everything they can to address the fish’s health challenges. It is of little consolation to us that this is not due to the design of the facility.

CEO Helge EW Albertsen added: “We are doing what we can to handle the situation.”