31 January, 2009

A SECOND case of the deadly fish disease Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) has been reported on a fish farm in Shetland.

Government scientists confirmed yesterday (Friday) that they had found ISA in a sea cage fully stocked with salmon owned by Hjaltland Seafarms in the same area west of the village of Scalloway where the disease was found earlier this month.

On 2 January scientists found ISA on a Scottish Sea Farms site east of Hildasay and immediately imposed a control zone, restricting fish movements and testing fish being farmed in the area. It was the first time in 10 years the disease had appeared in Scotland.

All the fish on the Hjaltland site will have to be killed as soon as possible under the supervision of the Fisheries Research Services (FRS) to prevent the spread of the virus.

The government stressed that ISA poses no threat to humans, but it can cause huge levels of mortality in fish and decimated the industry in 1999 when the last outbreak occurred.

Last week environment minister Michael Russell announced he was setting up an independent inquiry into the outbreak as soon as the disease had been contained and eradicated.

It became clear last night that the latest discovery of ISA was in the final batch of tests being carried out by scientists following the recent outbreak.

ISA was discovered after scientists investigated high levels of the sea lice parasite in cages in the area, the part of the Shetland coast most densely populated with fish farms.

In response to the second outbreak, Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation chief executive Scott Landsburgh said: “As the farm lies within the existing control zone all the appropriate biosecurity precautions are already in place and we continue to work closely alongside the Fisheries Research Services inspectors and key authorities to manage the situation.

“We are aware that no fish have been moved in or out of this site since April 2008 and remain confident that this virus outbreak is contained within the control and surveillance zone.

“The Scottish industry has a good, internationally recognised, record in fish health and welfare and it is very important to us that we get back on track as quickly as possible.”

Mr Landsburgh also stressed that the presence of the virus does not mean that clinical disease is present, and indeed, fish tested did not show any clinical symptoms of the disease. However, FRS are bound to take action as a precaution.