More Cermaq farms win ASC approval
Cermaq has achieved Aquaculture Stewardship Council certification for farms in Norway, Canada and Chile and now has 25 ASC certified farms, the Oslo-based company said.
The news was revealed in a statement on the company's sustainability performance in the first quarter of 2017.
Cermaq said fish survival rate measured as 12 months rolling rate was highest in Norway with 94.8 per cent and between 92 and 93 per cent in Canada and Chile (for Atlantic salmon).
In Canada the treatment for sea lice (in feed) was at the same level as the previous year, in Chile there was an increase in bath treatment, whereas there were no bath treatments in Norway (including hydrogen peroxide).
Effective cleaner fish
Cermaq, owned by Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation, said the use of cleaner fish had proven effective in its Norwegian operations and that it is engaged in research into local cleaner fish in Canada.
"Through an industry-wide initiative in Chile, a native cleaner fish species (Malapterus reticulatus) has been identified and Cermaq Chile will start breeding trials," the statement continued.
"Cermaq is testing the effect of Imvixa at its research site in Chile. Imvixa is a new oral treatment against sea lice which has been approved in Chile. At this point it seems to have a significant effect on Caligus sea lice. Still it is too early to draw conclusions."
Last week the company announced 259 redundancies in Chile as part of restructuring plans.
