The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has established multiple restriction zones after detecting infectious salmon anemia (ISA).
The new restriction zones establish controls on animals raised via aquaculture in the Bø, Øksnes, Hadsel, and Sortland municipalities of Nordland, Norway. The regulations are designed to limit the spread of ISA and applies to aquaculture operations in the area and “others who carry out activities that may lead to the spread of infection,” the authority said.
According to multiple announcements from the food safety authority, ISA was detected at multiple sites. On 2 May, aquaculture company Holmøy Havbruk informed the authority its testing had findings consistent with ISA in fish while sampling during routine inspections.
The site was culled on 6 May, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority then confirmed the ISA diagnosis on 12 May.
A separate salmon farmer, Egil Kristoffersen & Sønner, also reported suspicions of an ISA infection on 16 May. That, too, was confirmed on 28 May by the authority.
The restrictions will last until the fish are harvested, facilities and equipment are disinfected, and the zone has been fallowed for a certain period of time.
“The protection zone is then converted into a new surveillance zone/part of a new surveillance zone, which is usually maintained for two years,” the Norwegian Food Safety Authority said.
ISA is not a new problem for Norwegian aquaculture operations.
The country struggled with a higher-than-normal amount of ISA cases in 2023 and then had to deal with outbreaks again in 2024.
Companies have continued to deal with ISA in 2025. In February, Cermaq reported findings consistent with ISA at its sites in Alta and Hammerfest municipalities of Finnmark, Norway.
