Norway salmon farmer has now caught 1,200 escaped fish
Norwegian salmon farmer Lerøy has recaptured approximately 1,200 of an estimated 8,400 harvest-sized fish that escaped from its Reitholmen site in Hitra municipality, Trøndelag County on Sunday, May 5.
The country’s Directorate of Fisheries, which today ordered the company to continue efforts to recapture fish for another week, said most of the recaptured fish were netted by vessels hired by the company, and some were netted on site.
In addition, approximately 140 farmed salmon were caught in the monitoring station.
The fish that escaped through a tear in a net had an average weight of 7.3 kg. Initially it was feared that 14,000 fish had escaped but the figure was revised downwards after fish in other pens on the site were harvested and counted.
Expanded hunt
“The Directorate of Fisheries, in consultation with the State Administrator, has given Lerøy Midt Sjø an order for extended recapture in the Fillfjorden area on the east side of Hitra,” said the Directorate in a press release.
“The decision has been reviewed, and extended, weekly. The decision has also been somewhat expanded, mainly in that recapture nets will also be set at three other locations, Storskogøya, Vassgåsholmen and Gunnarøya.”
Only fishermen who have an agreement with the company can participate in the recapture fishing.
