Health
Algae outbreak costing Norway billions of kroner
NORWAY’S fisheries minister is to hold an urgent meeting with the salmon farming industry as it was disclosed losses from a major algae outbreak this week could reach more than two billion kroner – or around £200 million. The state broadcaster NRK said that nothing has been seen like it for decades and millions of…
Read MoreSSF profits drop but Orkney performs well
SALMON farming giant SalMar has reported reduced revenues and profits from its Scottish Sea Farms operations in the first quarter of 2019, the group’s latest figures show today. Q1 revenues fell from NOK 519 million (£46.6 million) in 2018 to NOK 405 million (£36.3 million) this year, while pre-tax profits dropped from NOK 178 million…
Read MoreMajor algae outbreak hits Norwegian farms
THOUSANDS of tonnes of farmed salmon have died following a large algae outbreak off the north coast of Norway. A significant area in the fjords between the regions of Troms and Nordland have suffered an acute growth of the bloom and the fear is that it may spread to other important salmon farming areas. Losses…
Read MoreSSPO hits back at ‘sensationalist’ Panorama
THE Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has hit back at the BBC for sensationalising the operations of the salmon farming industry. SSPO chief executive Julie Hesketh-Laird, who was interviewed for a half-hour Panorama show, broadcast last night, said no specific allegations had been made about any SSPO company during her meetings with the BBC team. Panorama…
Read MoreMowi rejects BBC’s medicine claims
SCOTLAND’S biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, has rejected claims being made in a BBC programme that it was subject to unannounced visits by Scotland’s environmental watchdog. The makers of Panorama issued a press release this afternoon saying the programme ‘reveals multiple Scottish salmon farming companies’ are under investigation for possible misreporting of chemical use. However, Mowi,…
Read MoreMowi defends salmon farming against latest BBC attack
SCOTLAND’S biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, has defended its farming practices ahead of a potentially damaging BBC broadcast next week. The Panorama programme, titled ‘Salmon Farming Exposed’, airs on Monday night and Mowi said in a statement issued today that it expects this to provide ‘an unbalanced and negative portrayal of our industry and company’. Mowi…
Read MoreSigns of progress at Grieg in Shetland
GRIEG Seafood is continuing to battle with biological and other problems at its Shetland operations, but there are signs of progress, the group’s impressive 2019 first quarter figures show today. Shetland harvest volumes increased by 49 per cent from Q1 2018 to 1,788 tonnes, and revenues rose by 41 per cent from NOK 86.8 million…
Read MoreScottish Sea Farms ‘satisfactory’ in Q1
LERØY Seafood yesterday reported a ‘satisfactory result’ from its Scottish Sea Farms operations, which is shares with fellow Norwegian salmon giants SalMar, during the first quarter of this year. But as with the rest of the group, UK revenues were down during the quarter due to lower harvests. They emerged at NOK 405 million compared…
Read MoreLice laser inventor up for European award
THE creator of the Stingray sea lice laser has been named as a finalist in the European Inventor of the Year award. Norwegian Ebsen Beck, who has had no formal training, is one of 15 on a shortlist selected by the European Patent Office to go forward to the contest in Vienna on June 20.…
Read MoreNew diet ‘cures lumpfish cataracts’
FEED maker BioMar said it has eliminated the common problem of cataracts in lumpfish with a specially formulated diet. Cataracts affect at least 60 per cent and as much 100 per cent of lumpfish, clouding the lens of the eye which reduces vision and in serious cases will lead to blindness. The cleaner fish species…
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