Lice infestation forces Iceland slaughter

Thousands of salmon in western Iceland have been prematurely slaughtered due to high lice numbers.

The worst hit area is around Tálknafjördur in the southern Westfjord region. MAST, the Icelandic Veterinary Institute, reported two weeks ago that lice infestation in the area had increased to unprecedented levels and ordered special measures to be taken.

Iceland’s main broadcaster, RUV, is reporting that the losses could run into billions of kroner.

It says the lice numbers have been particularly high on the southern side of the Westfjords, adding that more that medicinal treatment was required.

MAST has already pointed out that experiences in other countries had shown that the use of anti-lice drugs can have a negative effect on the local ecosystem and should only be used in an absolute emergency. It has urged companies to looks at alternative ways of getting rid of lice.

To date, slaughtering has taken place in up to twelve pens which contained around a million fish, but the entire fjord is home to more than three and a half million salmon.

MAST added: “It is important that there are as few salmon lice as possible this winter, to prevent ulceration when growth is at its lowest due to the low temperature in the sea.

“It is also important that the lice load is as low as possible in the spring, when the sensitive migration period of wild salmon begins, but the lice have so far had difficulty multiplying in the winter due to the low sea temperature.”

RUV reports that among the companies hardest hit are Arnarlax and Arctic Sea Farm, a subsidiary of Arctic Fish.

The companies are thought to have ordered the slaughter because they believed the fish would not survive the winter with the wounds they have suffered.