Måsøval cuts 2024 target following suspected ISA outbreak

The Norwegian fish farming company Måsøval is reassessing its harvest target for this year following a suspected outbreak of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) at two of its locations.

The company sent out an Oslo Stock Exchange message last night that it is reducing its harvest guidance for 2024 from 27,000-28,000 tonnes GWT to 26,500-27,500 GWT.

The suspected outbreaks are at the sites Espnestaren and Måøydraga, both on the island of Frøya, near Trondheim.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said infectious salmon anaemia is a serious, contagious viral disease in salmon, although it is not a threat to humans.

“A possible detection may result in the forced culling of all or part of the facilities, with a timeline that will depend on the disease profile, logistics and capacity for culling,” it says.

Stock at Espnestaren was originally planned to be slaughtered towards the end of the year on week 50, while the Måøydraga fish were due to be slaughtered in week 39.

The viruses that were found are compatible with ISA were found on routine screening tests. Verification samples were taken which will later be able to determine whether ISA is present. For the time being, Måsøval is treating the suspicion as if it has been verified. The company has introduced measures to reduce infection and has notified relevant sector authorities.

The Food Safety Authority says that if ISA is confirmed, this may lead to the compulsory culling of all or part of the sites concerned, with a timeline that will depend on the disease profile, logistics and capacity for culling.

There are around 1.1 million fish with an average weight of 3.4kg at the Espnestaren locality while there are a total of approximately 274,000 fish with an average weight 3.8 kg WFE at the Måøydraga site.