Salmon industry embroiled in asthma row

A dispute has broken out between Norway’s salmon industry and the national broadcaster NRK over claims that some of its employees are developing asthma through their work.

NRK has highlighted research findings from a study carried out on workers at St Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim

The broadcaster said reports from the hospital showed that a number of people, some of them immigrant workers, were suffering from “salmon asthma”.

One woman was so ill she thought she was having a heart attack. Others found themselves unable to go to work.

Doctors are continuing with the study, but some have described the development as “frightening” with more patients appearing at clinics.

A lot of water is used in fish processing plants, leading to tiny droplets forming which the workers breath in – and this could be part of the problem, researchers suggest.

But the salmon industry employer organisation Seafood Norway said that an incorrect image is being portrayed. NRK chose not to say that around 15% of all asthma among adults can be caused by exposure in different workplaces and it does not have to involve the salmon industry.

Seafood Norway CEO Geir Ove Ystmark said: “For those who are affected by work-related asthma, it is of course sad to hear. The aquaculture industry has participated in projects related to this and to look at what can be done to prevent people from getting asthma.”

Research also shows that the salmon industry could be no more exposed to this than other industries.

Ystmark added: “Occupations most at risk of work-related asthma are bakers, car painters, welders, sheet metal workers, farmers, hairdressers, various industries and healthcare workers.”