Norway’s Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) has confirmed the presence of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) at Cermaq’s Vannfjorden site in Nordkapp, Finnmark on June 10.
Cermaq first notified Mattilsynet of suspected ILA on May 29, based on positive PCR results from on-site sampling. The Veterinary Institute’s analysis confirmed the diagnosis 12 days later.
Mattilsynet is urging all personnel operating in the area — or involved in fish farming nearby — to take precautions against spreading the virus.
ISA causes severe anaemia and internal bleeding in farmed Atlantic salmon, frequently resulting in high mortality.
Cermaq, which is owned by Mitsubishi, operates an Atlantic salmon grow-out facility at the Nordkapp site. The company has not yet issued a public statement on the outbreak’s scale or impact on production.
Finnmark sits in Norway’s northernmost salmon-farming region. An ISA confirmation typically triggers a surveillance zone, with neighbouring sites subject to increased monitoring and movement restrictions under Norwegian biosecurity rules.