Serious disease alert at cod farm
The authorities are closely monitoring a cod farm in western Norway where there are fears of an outbreak of the serious disease francisellosis.
The suspicions centre around a location in Stad municipality in Vestland county, where the cod farmer Ode is engaged in production.
The suspicions centre around a location in Stad municipality in Vestland county, where the cod farmer Ode is engaged in production.
Ode AS notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority on Friday last of its suspicion of francisellosis.
The fear is based on samples taken during routine disease control. Test results gave grounds for suspicion of francisellosis.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said it plans to conduct sampling for possible verification and confirmation of the diagnosis.
To limit the spread of infection, restrictions have been imposed on the location, including a ban on moving fish without special permission.
The authority adds: “Farms with farmed cod in the area must be particularly vigilant for francisellosis during all health checks. It is important to prevent further spread between farms, or to wild fish through fish, equipment, and boats.”
The authority warns that equipment, boats, and crew should not be shared between multiple aquaculture facilities. If this cannot be avoided, there should be routines for cleaning and disinfection.
Francisellosis is a serious and economically significant disease in fish farming, often resulting in high mortality rates and severe, chronic, system-wide infections.
It has emerged as a major threat to the global aquaculture industry, particularly affecting tilapia (warm water) and Atlantic cod (cold water in Norway), where cod farming is carried out on a growing scale. Infection can lead to high mortality rates.
Infected fish often exhibit non-specific signs, such as lethargy, abnormal swimming, and loss of appetite.
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