Norwegian salmon farmer NRS facing welfare charges
The chief of police in Norway’s most northerly region, Finnmark, has brought charges against NRS Farming AS, a subsidiary of Norway Royal Salmon ASA (NRS).
The accusation comes as a result of an alleged violation of the Animal Welfare Act and the Food Act, NRS wrote in a stock exchange announcement last night.
The charge relates the company’s handling of a smolt delivery from an external supplier to the company’s Fartøyvika location in July 2021.
NRS said it was cooperating with the police.
Section 37 of the Animal Welfare Act states that intentional or grossly negligent violation of provisions given in or pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act is punishable. Complicity in violation is also punishable.
The law states: “The penalty is fines or imprisonment for up to one year. For serious offences, the penalty is three years’ imprisonment. Penalties with fines can be used alone or in combination with imprisonment and will in many cases be the most appropriate punishment. When assessing the size of the fine, any gain from the violation, any danger of damaging effect or the extent of the damage will be relevant factors.”
