Norway salmon egg site gains top tier disease-free status.
AquaGen’s Profunda facility in Barstadvik has been signed off by Norway’s Food Safety Authority as a “disease-free compartment” recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health, and it now holds EU export approval. In plain terms, inspectors have audited how the site keeps pathogens out, reviewed long-term test results, and confirmed freedom from a list of serious fish diseases. The status must be renewed each year.
Profunda is a land-based broodstock and egg operation. It maintains a closed salmon population, produces eggs and milt year round, and runs on its own water supply with tight control of biological and technical parameters. AquaGen says Profunda is the only facility in Norway with this combination of WOAH compartment recognition and EU export approval, and one of few worldwide with documented disease freedom across the full production cycle.
Why this matters is straightforward. Many countries only allow imports of salmon eggs from certified disease-free sources. The designation can reduce paperwork at the border and shorten lead times. For farmers, eggs from a population that has been audited and tested disease-free lower the risk of outbreaks, which protects fish health and production plans. The status is particularly useful for land-based and other tightly regulated projects that must show their inputs meet high biosecurity standards.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority based its decision on extensive sampling and documentation, with technical support from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, which collaborates with WOAH on epidemiology and risk assessment. The declaration lists freedom from notifiable pathogens that concern salmon producers, including infectious salmon anaemia and several viral diseases.
“This is a long-awaited certification for us, and a significant milestone for everyone investing in land-based salmon production worldwide… The certificate confirms both the quality and the biosecurity of AquaGen Profunda,” said AquaGen chief executive Knut Røflo.
What comes next will be the first annual renewal and any moves by competitors to seek similar compartment status. The commercial question is whether the certification expands AquaGen’s export reach and supports stronger pricing with buyers who prioritise biosecurity.
