Norwegian fish farms batten down as new storm approaches

Fish farms in northern Norway have begun to prepare for the worst, after forecasts of heavy storms in the area over the next couple of days.

Already, severe weather has caused severe disruption to the salmon sector twice this year, leading to temporary price distortions and orders failing to get through.

Shipments were seriously held up in late August and similar weather pushed up prices in February.

They also left a trail of fish escapes after the wind smashed up cages. This time farm managers have been given early warning allowing them time to prepare.

The Norwegian weather authorities have said a strong westerly gale has already been reported around the Troms area and is predicting a full storm later today and possibly early tomorrow.

Meteorologists have issued a yellow warning for Troms and Vesterålen. They said: “From early Tuesday morning, locally strong gusts of 30-35 m/s are expected from the southwest and west, and up to a full storm on the coast. The wind will increase first in the south and decrease last in the north.”

Several ferries, which often carry salmon from the farms onto the mainland, have been cancelled and air traffic movement severely restricted.

The national broadcaster NRK reports that in addition, several fast ferry departures between Tromsø and Harstad have been cancelled.

The same applies to the departures on the route between Harstad-Bjarkøystedene and Skrolsvik.

Storms along the Norwegian coast are not unusual, especially when seasons start to change and are usually short lived, but they have been increasing in frequency in recent years.