Import of furunculosis to Norway with Atlantic salmon smolts from Scotland

Abstract

In early summer 1985 the Norwegian Veterinary Authorities authorized the import of about 250.000 Atlantic salmon smolts from a fish farm at the west coast of Scotland to the Namdal region north of Trondheim. Immediately after arrival the smolts came down with furunculosis, a disease that until then did not occur in Norway. No special measures were taken and the disease soon spread to Norwegian smolts previously stocked in the same farms. Also farms that had not imported smolts became infected. 24 farms were affected by the disease, whereas restrictions were imposed on all together 30 farms. In November of the same year the Veterinary Authorities ordered the infected farms to slaugther out all their fish before June 1st, 1986.