Production tonnage in Shetland down due to ISA
David Sandison, chief executive of Shetland Aquaculture, said it was difficult to give a figure for the expected tonnage output in Shetland in 2009.
However, he confirmed that Hjaltland Seafarms, the company that saw the biggest impact from the ISA virus, are expecting to be at least 3,000 tonnes below forecast.
Though, he said they are the only major difference. In addition there will be smaller decreases from Scottish Sea Farms and the Lakeland Group as a result of the ISA control measures.
“I would expect that the harvested tonnage will be down about 4,000 tonnes this year and by about the same figure again next year,” Sandison predicted.
The presence of ISA virus was confirmed on five salmon farms in the south west mainland area of Shetland in 2009.
All of the farms lie within the containment area that was established on 2 January 2009, when the first case of ISA was confirmed at a Scottish Sea Farms site near Hildasay, off Scalloway.
A further three sites belonging to Hjaltland Seafarms in the same area were confirmed as carrying the virus on 30 January, 20 March and on the 20 May.
Then three days later, the disease was found in cages owned by the NAFC Marine Centre, where a research programme into using sea wrasse to tackle sea lice was about to start.
Marine Scotland health inspectors at Fisheries Research Services told FishfarmingXpert that the source of the spread of ISA has not been yet been confirmed.
The findings from the investigation will be compiled in a report that will be published later this year.
