As many as 14,000 salmon have escaped from a site operated by Norwegian salmon producer Leroy.
On the evening of Sunday, May 5, 2024, Lerøy Midt, a subsidiary of Lerøy Seafood Group, discovered damage to a net at the aquaculture site Reitholmen in Fillfjorden, Hitra municipality.
As a consequence, just over 14,000 salmon weighing approximately 7.3 kilos each have escaped, according to a release from the company.
Harald Larssen, general manager of Lerøy Midt, expressed deep regret for the incident.
“This should not happen,” Larssen said. “We have a vision of zero escapes, and take this very seriously.”
An internal environmental and safety group has been activated to investigate the cause of the escape. Immediate actions include minimizing damage and implementing measures to prevent future incidents.
In response to the situation, Lerøy has mobilized additional resources to secure the pen and recapture as many escaped fish as possible. More than 1,500 meters of recapture nets were deployed overnight, with plans for further netting in the coming days. Collaboration with relevant authorities, including the Directorate of Fisheries, is underway to manage the situation effectively.
