The Sandholmane site.

The salmon weigh around 1.5 kg. Previously, pancreas disease and Moritella have been detected at the site in Norway.

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Norwegian salmon farmer Lerøy has estimated that around 15,000 salmon escaped from its Sandholmane site in Aukra municipality site earlier this month, it announced a press release yesterday.

On January 5, during a routine inspection, damage to a net was discovered at the site, and the farm's contingency plan was immediately implemented. The company states that nets were deployed to reduce potential consequences, and a dialogue has been established with relevant authorities and stakeholders, including the Directorate of Fisheries. The company's focus now is to handle the situation responsibly and effectively.

"We take such net damage seriously and deeply regret that this has happened. We feel a great responsibility towards the environment and our surroundings, and we are doing everything we can to limit the consequences," said Harald Larssen, managing director of Lerøy's mid-Norway division, Lerøy Midt.

PD and Moritella

The fish in question have an average weight of around 1.5 kg. 

Lerøy Midt stated that PD (pancreas disease) and Moritella have previously been detected in the fish. They emphasised that the health condition is generally good, and that the fish are safe to eat. The fish that remained in the pen have been counted and moved to a new net. 

After counting, Lerøy Midt estimates the extent of the escape to be around 15,000 fish. The damaged net has been taken up and will be inspected at the service station in Kristiansund. Lerøy's environmental and safety group is leading the work to investigate the incident and find the root cause in collaboration with the Directorate of Fisheries.

"At Lerøy, we have a vision for zero escapes, and we work every day to avoid such incidents. This involves investments in technology, continuous training of employees, and systematic improvements in routines," said Larssen.

Lerøy, one of the world's top five Atlantic salmon farmers by volume, said it is cooperating with the authorities and will implement necessary measures based on the learning from this incident.