Storms hold up salmon shipments in northern Norway

Severe storms have hit northern Norway, seriously disrupting the movement of salmon from fish farms.

Air and sea traffic has been badly hit as near hurricane-strength winds sweep through the Nordland region.

With flights and sailings cancelled, getting salmon out of the region has proved extremely difficult.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has issued a yellow warning for strong gusts of wind in parts of Nordland, badly affecting the Troms and Vest-Finnmark areas.

Such incidents can also cause short term spikes in salmon prices because supplies temporarily dry up.

One of the worst hit companies is Ellingsen Seafood which told the regional newspaper Lofotposten the situation has been close to a standstill for the past two days.

The company along with other fish farmers was hit by even worse storms in January this year.

Managing director Line Ellingsen said the company had lost onward connections to Asia and they had also had to cancel other orders.

She said: “This created major challenges for us, not least because of the uncertainty over whether we can slaughter fish or not.

“In the worst case, we will have to book slaughtering with other breeders while our own employees are laid off.”

She added: “The salmon slaughterhouse at the Skrova island group [pictured] is in its peak season. Therefore, it is now extra problematic not to be able to get the fish out to the customers.

“The slaughterhouse in Skrova had full production on both Monday and Tuesday, but when the ferry doesn’t run, everything stops.

“We are now dependent on a delivery of styrofoam boxes, as well as a trailer to pick up already packaged salmon.”

The winds, which have been labelled autumn storms because the season comes early in northern Norway, should ease later today.

Line Ellingsen