Norway has recorded its first major confirmed case of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) for 2021.
The outbreak has been reported at a facility run by the family firm of Emilsen Fisk at Namsos in the Trøndelag region.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said suspicions were first raised during clinical tests taken by the company in mid-January. Follow up samples were taken for further testing and, as a result, ISA has been positively confirmed.
In order to limit the spread of the infection, the usual restrictions have been imposed at the site including a ban on the movement of fish without a special permit. The salmon in the infected cages will be slaughtered, a necessary move which always results in a costly legacy for businesses hit by ISA.
Despite a challenging year of COVID-19 pandemic causing the world to stand still, Norwegian Seafood Council reported a 2 per cent increase in volume for a total of 2.7 million tonnes of Norwegian seafood exports worldwide, worth THB 377 billion (NOK 105.7 billion), the second-highest value ever and only a -1 per cent decrease compared to 2019. While for Thailand, a -1 per cent decline for volume of fresh salmonids imported to Thailand in 2020, totaling 16,771 tonnes, worth THB 3.65 billion.
Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, Southeast Asia Regional Director, Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), revealed that, «The Norwegian seafood industry has managed to defy the biggest challenges amid uncertainties and instabilities happening around the world. We have been able to maintain a strong position in the Thai market by working closely with our business partners to adapt and come up with new product offerings that are relevant to the demands of Thai consumers. Norwegian Salmon remains Thai people
Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak reported in Norway
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has discovered an increased incidence of the gastrointestinal bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica O3. So far, infection has been detected in 10 people who live in several counties. Outbreak investigation has been initiated in collaboration with relevant municipal chief physicians, the Veterinary Institute and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Image/Robert Herriman
The patients are between 11 and 59 years old, and all are women. The infected live in Innlandet, Viken, Oslo, Vestfold and Telemark, and Vestland. Bacteria with a similar DNA profile have been detected in all 10 people and all samples have been taken during the last two weeks in November and the first week in December.
International marine certifiers Friend of the Sea (FOS) has certified Norway-based Calanus AS for its efforts to promote sustainability of its omega-3 enriched-products.
The certification allows Calanus to display the FOS eco-label on its products, which Dr Ole Petter Pedersen, Calanus’ Head of Technology and Sustainability said,
“verifies that zooplankton harvesting is done according to internationally accepted sustainability principles and follows a best-practice approach.”
As well as the use of omega-3 fatty acids in food supplement products, FOS’ eco-label can also be used on the firm’s protein derivate products that include its hydrolysate extract ed from the marine zooplankter