Fish Farmer December 2021

Page 36

Fish health

Heart of the matter Fish may be good for our health, but they suffer cardio problems themselves BY VINCE MCDONAGH

O

NE of the biggest threats to farmed salmon is not what you might expect. Every year, hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of fish die from a li�le-discussed cardiac disease, cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS). In short: heart failure. The disease made its entry into Norwegian salmon farms in the mid 1980s and later spread to the Faroe Islands, Scotland and Ireland. Now the authori�es are increasing their efforts to try to find out why this killer syndrome is on the increase. Salmon mortality in Norway is alarmingly high. It is es�mated that around 50 million salmon die every year from various causes, many as a result of CMS. No part of the country’s long coastline is immune, but the western part of Norway appears to be the hardest hit.

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Vince 1 - Heart problems v2.indd 36

It is also reckoned that cases o�en rise following lice treatment procedures, sugges�ng stress may be a factor. Scotland also has a problem. Mowi revealed in its third-quarter report, published in October, that incidents of CMS at its Sco�sh farms remain are s�ll too high. Neighbouring companies have also suffered in the past. Edgar Brun, Director of Fish Health and Welfare at the Norwegian Veterinary Ins�tute, told

Above: Examining fish (Photo: SAIC) Left: Edgar Brun Opposite from top:

Health check for a salmon (Photo: SAIC); Ida Beitnes-Johansen

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

09/12/2021 15:26:06


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