ISAv confirmed at fourth Cooke farm in Newfoundland
Canadian salmon farmer Cooke Aquaculture is facing the prospect of a fourth early harvesting of fish in Newfoundland after infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAv) was discovered at its Grip Cove marine site.
The farm, run by Cooke subsidiary Cold Ocean Salmon, is located near Hermitage, Newfoundland and contains seven cages that are stocked with approximately 489,000 Atlantic salmon.
The ISAv detection was identified as a result of an enhanced surveillance program. Cooke said it has taken all the responsible steps under the oversight of the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries and Land Resources and is following government approved policies.
Proactive approach
Cooke has already harvested 1.2 million salmon early because of ISAv diagnoses at three sites in the same region: North of Killbuck Cove site, near McCallum; Seal Cove, near Hermitage; and Robin Hood Cove, near Gaultois. All four sites are within a few miles of each other on the south coast of Newfoundland.
In the previous outbreaks, Cooke said it was removing fish on the sites using approved and biosecure standard operating procedures, adding that the proactive approach to removing fish immediately following a detection has proven to be the most successful method for managing the virus.
