Grieg Seafood BC confirms three-year contract with Njord Marine valued at $11 million per year

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“Coastal Server” and its delousing system will be used by Grieg at its farms on both the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island.

Grieg Seafood BC has entered into a three-year contract with Njord Marine Service valued at $11 million annually for the service of its delousing vessel, “Coastal Server”.

This 24-metre vessel, is equipped with a mechanical delousing system that can remove sea lice from farmed salmon. This mechanical system reduces the need for medicinal or chemical treatment, the company says.

Read more: Nidaros Shipping’s brand new de-licing vessel crosses the Atlantic

The delousing system it features is the SkaMik 1.5, which uses a combination of soft rotating brushes and low-pressure water nozzles to remove sea lice.

The mechanical delousing system can be used on fish of all sizes and can treat up to 150 metric tonnes of fish per hour under ideal conditions, helping to limit the use of chemical and medical treatments, according to the company.

“Coastal Server” and its delousing system will be used by Grieg at its farms on both the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island. The vessel will also provide regular maintenance support to these farms.

“As an organisation, we are committed to reducing the overall impact from our operations,” said Rocky Boschman, managing director for Grieg Seafood BC,” in a press release issued on Tuesday.

The SkaMik 1.5 system removes 97 per cent of sea lice in all life cycle stages, said Boschman.

“The process itself is incredibly quick – with each fish only spending about 1.5 seconds in the delousing system,” said Dean Trethewey, Grieg seawater production, certifications and regulatory director. “This helps to reduce stress for the fish, and enables us to treat entire farms within a matter of days with an immediate reduction of lice in the region.”

Sea lice that are removed from farmed fish are then disposed of on land, says Grieg.

The vessel is currently clearing Canadian Customs and Transport Canada. Grieg hopes to have it in use at its farm by January 2022 — in time for out migration of juvenile wild salmon.

“This isn’t a coincidence, but by design, as we recognize the importance of maintaining low lice levels during this critical window,” said Trethewey.

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