Over 5,000 fish feared escaped from Icelandic aquaculture station due to equipment failure

Over 5,000 fish are believed to have escaped from Samherji’s aquaculture station in Oxarfjordur, Iceland. The Food Administration’s surveillance report reveals significant deviations in the station’s equipment.

In May, it was reported that up to 900 farmed salmon had escaped from the Silfurstjornun station in Oxarfjordur when a flood occurred. The salmon rejected the station’s settling pond from where they could have run to the sea, the pond was closed when employees discovered what had happened.

The salmon were unsmolted, meaning they weren’t mature enough to survive in the sea. The Food Administration immediately began an investigation into the incident and has now delivered a surveillance report. The report states that Samherji’s employees tried to catch the salmon from the pond, but it could not be confirmed that all the salmon were found.

Samherji could not account for 5,190 fish, and the Food Administration concludes that this may be the number that escaped. It’s not ruled out that the salmon could have smolted in the pond and then lived in the sea.

The report states that the station did not have adequate equipment. The nets, for example, were not fine enough to catch the salmon that escaped. The Food Administration has informed the Fisheries Directorate about the matter and plans to increase surveillance of the aquaculture in Oxarfjordur.