Responsible farmed salmonids
in marine pens?
Norwegian aquaculture industry
- environmental impact of salmon farming
- disease control with focus on salmon lice
Ketil Rykhus
One Health Consultants
Tuesday 29 April 2014
Hilton Reykjavik Nordica
On the agenda today
1. Norwegian
aquaculture
2. Environmental impact
of salmon farming
3. Salmon lice - challenges and control
On the agenda today
1. Norwegian
aquaculture
2. Environmental impact
of salmon farming
3. Salmon lice - challenges and control
450 000 000
800 000
400 000 000
700 000
350 000 000
600 000
300 000 000
250 000 000
200 000 000
150 000 000
500 000
400 000
300 000
100 000 000
200 000
50 000 000
100 000
0
Average number of fish per year
0
Average annual biomass (metric tons)
Average annual
biomass (metric tons)
Average number
of fish per year
Number of fish and biomass
Fish for slaughter
Fish for slaughter (metric tons)
1 400 000
1 200 000
1 000 000
800 000
600 000
400 000
200 000
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
The Norwegian coastline
3 regions
18 areas
>100 zones
App. 1 400 sites approved
App. 550 sites with fish
App. 4 000 cages
Bodø peninnsula
Region
Area
Zone
Hustadvika
On the agenda today
1. Norwegian
aquaculture
2. Environmental impact
of salmon farming
3. Salmon lice - challenges and control
Legislation
Regulation on operation of aquaculture farms
§1
Scope
The regulation shall promote the aquaculture
industry’s profitability and competitive
advantage within the framework of
sustainable development and value
generation.
Legislation
Regulation on operation of aquaculture farms
§ 35 Environmental monitoring
•
•
•
•
•
NS 9410:2007 – Environmental monitoring of benthic
impact from marine fish farms
Trend monitoring of the benthic conditions
underneath marine farms (“B-sampling”)
Carried out by an independent institution
First time when the biomass peaks and subsequent
sampling in accordance with NS 9410
Report the results to the Directorate of Fisheries
(regional office)
Legislation
Regulation on operation of aquaculture farms
§ 36 Measures in case of an unacceptable environmental condition
•
•
•
Increase the number of samples underneath the farm
“increased B-sampling”
Optional (CA and Environmental Authority
consideration)additional sampling underneath the farm and in
the adjacent seabed area (“C-sampling”)
In cases of unacceptable conditions following increased
sampling: fallowing until favourable situation re-established
NS 9410:2007
Obligatory parameters
•
Fauna (animals > 1 mm)
•
Chemical
o
TOC (Total Organic Carbon)
o
Phosphorus (P)
o
Zink (Zn)
o
Copper (Cu)
•
Particle size (clay, sand, silt, gravel)
•
Oxygen content
•
Salinity
•
Temperature
Legislation
Regulation on operation of aquaculture farms
§ 67 CA measures in case of an unacceptable environmental condition
• Official controls by two Directorates;
Directorate of fisheries and Norwegian Food Control Authority
• §§ 35 and 36; the Directorate of Fisheries
• Actions (according to Law on aquaculture):
•
•
•
•
•
Imposition to remedy the situation (fallowing)
Coercive measure
Fee
Confiscation of dividend
Imprisonment for up to 1 year
On the agenda today
1. Norwegian
aquaculture
2. Environmental impact
of salmon farming
3. Salmon lice - challenges and control
Legislation and Competent Authority
•
One regulation for the whole country
•
One local regulation for the Hardangerfjord area
•
CA – Norwegian Food Control Authority
•
Risk based inspections
•
Coercive measure (until levels below limit)
•
Impose forced slaughtering
National project initiated autumn 2009
Main objectives
Strategy
Targets
Main objectives:
1. Keep the amount of salmon lice in aquaculture as low
as possible in order to minimise the negative effects on
wild fish and fish in aquaculture, at the same time as
2. the salmon lice are sensitive to
available medicines.
Strategy
In order to achieve these objectives the following main points
constitute the overall strategy:
1. Identifying most adequate geographical sea locations.
2. Establishing adequate zones for fallowing.
3. Controlling the amount of salmon lice in cages by means of
biological and/or mechanical measures only.
4. Coordinating the combat of increasing levels of salmon lice through
intensified biological and mechanical de-lousing measures and, if
necessary, by using medicines in accordance with agreed criteria.
Targets
1.
2.
3.
4.
Interruption of production should
not be caused by salmon lice
Salmon lice should not hamper
further expansion of the industry
Adequate medicines should be
available
Production (including harvesting)
of cleaner fish should be sustainable
5.
The legislation should be adequate
6.
Communicate results
7.
Establish national database
8.
Prevent unacceptable influence on
wild salmon and sea trout
9.
The whole industry should
participate and contribute
10. Identify new and monitor
relevant R&D projects
11. Establish guides to good
practice
Salmon lice in a lice shell
- adult females before and now
2002
200 mill.
46 mill.
0,2
118 mill.
0,6
2005
227 mill.
30 mill.
0,1
63 mill.
0,3
2009
340 mill.
25 mill.
0,07
262 mill.
0,7
2013
410 mill.
12 mill.
0,03
112 mill.
0,3
What has improved
during the salmon lice project?
•
Increased focus on lice counting,
number of salmon lice and treatments
•
The use of closed tarpaulins for medicated treatments
•
Development and use of guidelines
•
The use of cleaner fish
•
Exchange of information
•
lusedata.no
Main challenges
•
Sea lice sensitivity and resistance against drugs
•
More efficient, more accurate and more animal welfare-friendly
methods for counting early stages (chalimus and mobile) of salmon lice
•
Wild smolt migration period determining the coordinated
medicated spring campaigns
•
Progress in developing non-medicated alternatives
•
Commercialization and utilization of new measures
Focus ahead
•
New methods for counting sea lice
•
Proaktiv treatment strategy
•
Non-medicated control
•
Optimising all operations
•
The importance of continued low levels of salmon lice
•
External communication
Thank you for
your attention!
Photo: FHL