Mowi threatened with heavy fines over lice numbers

Mowi has become the latest large Norwegian salmon company to face the possibility of a big daily fine over high lice numbers.

Last week it was revealed that SalMar had been threatened with a penalty of more than half a million kroner a day (around £40,000 a day) over the issue. Now the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has told Mowi it could incur a penalty of just over NOK 465,000 a day (around £33,000).

Mowi said the news came as a complete surprise, adding the company was now back below the lice limit and had achieved that well before the deadline, the financial website e.24 reports.

The company admitted it had been affected by an unexpectedly large outbreak of lice but said that its staff had responded to the situation quickly and efficiently. Lice levels are now very low, it added.

Lice have become an expensive nuisance for the farmers and a problem for the welfare of the farmed fish – primarily as a result of the stress from de-lousing operations.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has been cracking down on high numbers by stating that the limits limit must be observed at all times, adding that breeders will be held responsible for preventive measures.

This has led to the threat of high daily fines if the limits are exceeded.

Sea lice