Grieg Seafood : Update on spill at harvesting plant in Northern Norway

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Update on spill at harvesting plant in Northern Norway

According to a preliminary assessment of the environmental consequences, the spill is local, and has not spread outside the Kåfjord. Recovery and recolonization of the seabed is expected to proceed rapidly.

Earlier this week, it was announced that there unfortunately has been a leak of chlorine from Grieg Seafood Finnmark's harvesting plant in Northern Norway. The company regrets to say that 96,000 individual fish in four pens outside the plant sadly died during the incident.

A preliminary assessment of the environmental impact ready

Akvaplan-niva, an accredited subsidiary of the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), has been engaged by Grieg Seafood Finnmark to carry out an independent assessment on the impact of the leak on the marine environment in the fjord.

The environmental assessment consists of several sub-sections:

• A beach zone assessment around the harvesting plant to evaluate biodiversity
• Examination of the seabed at several locations (according to MOM B methodology)
• Visual registration of seabed with ROV along 6 transects
• CTDO measurements in the water column at various stations in the fjord. This assessment measures vertical profiles of salinity, temperature, density and oxygen content in the water column at the five deepest points in the fjord. The results are used to verify models.
• Collection and analysis of water samples from locations in the fjord. Grieg Seafood Finnmark has also taken its own water samples regularly from the time the leak was discovered
• Modeling of the dispersion of particles as a proxy for chlorine

The analyzes are still ongoing, and we expect the final report to be completed within 1-2 weeks. However, Akvaplan-niva has issued a preliminary assessment of the environmental impact based on analyzes that have been made so far. It concludes that the spill:

• Caused mortality in wild fish and organisms in the beach zone and shallow water locally around the plant
• It has not spread to areas outside Kåfjorden
• As of August 13th, the discharge has been diluted and degraded to harmless concentrations
• Recovery and recolonization of the seabed is expected to proceed rapidly

The preliminary assessment is publicly available in full at Grieg Seafood Finnmark's website (in Norwegian). The final report will also be posted on the website in its entirety when it is ready.

Status on the incident

Chlorine is used to disinfect the water after it has been used in the harvesting processes, in accordance with regulations and the approved method for purification of processing water. The chlorine tanks are equipped with a new system in accordance with the relevant technical standard, and should be safe. Among other things, chlorine is transferred from a larger tank to a smaller tank, as a measure to protect against a larger discharge of chlorine. It is in connection with this transfer that the spill unfortunately occurred.

Details from the incident are still being investigated, and the company is working closely with the authorities.

Grieg Seafood Finnmark has put in place and is working on several immediate measures to prevent such a leak from happening again. The measures include extra layers of security barriers, alarms and additional routines. The system is now safe to use.

Following a green light from the authorities, the harvesting plant will resume operations today.

Managing Director of Grieg Seafood Finnmark, Vidar Aamo Nikolaisen, said:

'This is a very serious incident. As it stands now, it is first and foremost a fish welfare tragedy. During the three years that each salmon is under our care, we constantly work to ensure the best possible fish health and welfare. It is painful to think about what our fish have gone through as a result of the spill.

The impact on the environment in Kåfjorden is also serious. Fortunately, it appears to be local and limited to the fjord area around the harvesting plant, but we will wait for the final report before we draw final conclusions. Such a leak should not occur. We will get to the bottom of this matter and we will learn from the incident at all levels in the organization.

I also want to emphasize that we understand the concern of people in Alta for the Alta fjord. This is a national salmon fjord, and when we operate in it, we must do so responsibly. We work continuously to ensure co-existence between our farmed salmon and wild salmon in the fjord. We have low sea lice levels, and we have significantly reduced escape incidents in recent years, as is to be expected of a responsible farmer. In this case, however, we have failed, and I am very sorry about that. We will work to rebuild the trust we have lost.'