– Agriculture can not be the cause of the sale to death – NRK Troms – Local news, TV and radio

An eruption of algae on the Troms and Nordland coasts has killed more than 7.7 million salmon in recent days – more than 13,200 tonnes of salmon.

Several stakeholders pointed out that the industry itself could be responsible for the proliferation of algae, including the spokesperson for fisheries policy within the Environmental Party of Green and the Former head of fisheries Trøndelag Alf Albrigtsen.

Researchers have pointed out, however, that there is no professional basis for blaming industry, and it is precisely this link that researchers at the Institute of Marine Research have now studied.

They conclude that the breeders can not be held responsible for the proliferation of algae.

– Agriculture can not be the cause of this proliferation of algae. The density of farmed salmon is relatively low in these regions compared to many other regions of Norway, said the director of Karin Kroon Marine Research Institute Boxaspen.

– Agriculture probably does not cause any cause

The surveys are based on a risk assessment conducted by the Institute of Marine Research, where researchers examine the effects of nutrients and organic matter from Norwegian fish farms.

Nutrients act as foods or fertilizers for algae and are emitted, for example, by agriculture or fish farms.

The researchers have, based on the data from the risk assessment, performed a calculation for areas where there is now a proliferation of algae.

"When we start with the amount of fish in these areas and we calculate the amount of nutrients released, we find that it best contributes to a growth of 5 to 10% algae," says Boxaspen. .

– Does this mean that the claims that breeders are themselves responsible for the rape of salmon are false?

– We want to say that it's wrong. There are many things to do to help a seaweed bloom in the spring. In spring, there is a lot of nutrients in the sea, and the calculation shows that very few of these fish farms can contribute. So they can not be the cause, says Boxaspen.

Researchers can not rule out the fact that nutrients from fish farms help prolong the spread of algae once it begins, said director of the Karin Kroon Marine Research Institute Boxaspen.

An animal trait, higher salmon prices and layoffs

According to the Institute of Marine Research, Chrysochromulina leadbeateri algae have caused salmon rape in Nordland and Troms.

The algae produce a poison that strikes the cells of the gills of the fish so that it does not receive oxygen. It has been 28 years since Norway experienced a similar outbreak of algae in 1991.

Salmon resulted in higher prices for salmon, the salmon was evacuated and the dead salmon was painted for animal feed. Breeders have described it as an animal trait and the fisheries minister has described the situation as very serious.

Parts of Ofotfjorden have almost been emptied of their fish and breeders in Sør-Troms and Nordland Nord have been working for years to remedy the situation.

The value of lost fish sales is estimated at more than NOK 2.4 billion and the fish farming sector is feared for the future. Slaughterhouses have announced significant layoffs.

The algae that caused all this are common along the Norwegian coast.

In order for the algae to grow, they must be able to stay close to the surface. The sun and the lack of wind and electricity mean that the algae grow in peace, but the Directorate General of Fisheries said it was difficult to say how long a bloom could last.

– There are many things that play in a proliferation of algae, but a proliferation is common. As a general rule, it is not this seaweed that wins the spring race at sea, explains the professional director of the Marine Research Institute Karin Kroon Boxaspen.