Responsible farmed salmonids in marine pens?

Norwegian aquaculture industry

- environmental impact of salmon farming- disease control with focus on salmon lice

Tuesday 29 April 2014Hilton Reykjavik Nordica

Ketil RykhusOne Health Consultants

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

0

100 000

200 000

300 000

400 000

500 000

600 000

700 000

800 000

050 000 000

100 000 000150 000 000200 000 000250 000 000300 000 000350 000 000400 000 000450 000 000

Aver

age

annu

al

biom

ass

(met

ric to

ns)

Aver

age

num

ber

of fi

sh p

er y

ear

Number of fish and biomass

Average number of fish per year Average annual biomass (metric tons)

0

200 000

400 000

600 000

800 000

1 000 000

1 200 000

1 400 000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Fish

for s

laug

hter

(met

ric to

ns)

Fish for slaughter

The Norwegian coastline

Coas

t lin

e 25

168

km

1 75

2 km

3 regions

18 areas

>100 zones

App. 1 400 sites approvedApp. 550 sites with fishApp. 4 000 cages

Region

Area

Zone

Bodø peninnsula

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.

Targets1. Interruption of production should

not be caused by salmon lice

2. Salmon lice should not hamper further expansion of the industry

3. Adequate medicines should be available

4. 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

Year Average number of fish

MAY SEPTEMBER

Total number of adult females

Average number of

adult females per

fish

Total number of adult females

Average number of

adult females per

fish

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

• 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 coordinatedmedicated spring campaigns

• Progress in developing non-medicated alternatives

• Commercialization and utilization of new measures

Main challenges

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