No further outbreaks of infectious salmon anemia (ISA) have been recorded in Shetland since 31 March, leading local salmon and trout farmers to hope the disease is now firmly under control.
However, the outbreak has led to serious financial problems for the islands’ aquaculture companies. A government-backed aid scheme, they say, will go only a small way toward helping farmers recoup their losses.
“Assistance is only available to help companies develop their businesses but there is none for destroyed fish, and we are still in talks with government over a suitable compensation package,” said David Sandison, CEO of the industry group Shetland Aquaculture.
When ISA first appeared in Shetland in early January, a government control zone was swiftly put in place, and the affected fish destroyed. Other sites in the control area will be harvested this autumn ahead of schedule, after which the area will be subject to a mandatory six-month fallow period. In the meantime, the fish are subject to regular inspections.
The five companies farming in the area have signed up to a voluntary area management agreement to synchronise stocking in April 2010 to create a single year class zone.
“This will help with bio-security, and we also hope it will lead to fewer problems with sea lice, resulting in healthier fish,” said Michael Stark, managing director of Hjaltland Seafarms Ltd.
However, because fish cannot be re-stocked in the control zone until 2010, farmers have been forced, mostly unsuccessfully, to seek alternative growing sites for millions of smolts due to be put to sea this year. Stark has already cancelled orders for more than 1 million smolts due to a lack of space to grow them.
“This will have a financial knock-on effect for us in terms of lost future harvest, and also for our smolt suppliers,” he said. Other companies are similarly affected.
David Sandison, who has assisted in the fruitless search for new sites, explained that space is at a premium due to rights of passage for oil and gas terminal supplies in the area. He also warned of potential future problems.
"We may see a wider knock-on effect from fewer smolts going into the water this year in terms of downstream activity in the processing, packaging and transport industries,” he said.
ISA afflicts Atlantic salmon, resulting in lethargy, loss of appetite, gasping at the water surface, pale gills, a dark liver, accumulation of fluid in the body cavity and haemorrhaging in internal organs.
The virus surfaced in Scotland for the first time in May 1998. Chile is currently struggling to contain the disease, which has also affected Norway, Canada, the United States and the Faeroes.
