Site Details: Bight of Foraness

Hamnavoe
Lunnaness
Vidlin
ZE2 9QF
Operator: Scottish Sea Farms Ltd
Water type: Seawater

Average female lice per fish

Source

Salmon Scotland mortality

Source

Cumulative mortality over full production cycle

Foraness Production cycle end date: Aug 2020
Total losses: 17.8 %

Foraness Production cycle end date: Jun 2022
Total losses: 38.9 %

Foraness Production cycle end date: Nov 2024
Total losses: 26.1 %

Source

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
10/01/22-16/01/22
Mortality:
5,427
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: CMS, Sea lice
CMS, Sea lice
None - information collected during remote paperwork check on 21/7/23. Reports from following weeks submitted to FHI at time
Date:
17/01/22-20/02/22
Mortality:
21,379
Mortality Rate:
4.13%
Reason given: Viral Disease / Sea Lice Related
Viral Disease / Sea Lice Related
Mortality related to HSMI and physical lesions from recent hydrolicer treatments. FHI to monitor, site being visited 7/3/22
Date:
24/01/22-30/01/22
Mortality:
6,916
Mortality Rate:
1.35%
Reason given: Viral Disease / Sea Lice Related
Viral Disease / Sea Lice Related
Clinical HSMI has been diagnosed on the site, with histology results indicating impaired heart function likely during peak output. Recent thermolicer treatments have exacerbated mortality at the site. Treatment strategy has been reviewed by business and site is moving towards less intensive methods (tarp/wellboat) to treat remaining cages. First mortality notification received this year. FHI to monitor.
Date:
24/01/22-27/02/22
Mortality:
21,155
Mortality Rate:
4.12%
Reason given: Sea Lice Related / Predation / Viral Disease
Sea Lice Related / Predation / Viral Disease
updated to 5 week 24/7/23 when error noted.
Date:
21/02/22-27/02/22
Mortality:
4,769
Mortality Rate:
1.04%
Reason given: Sea Lice Related / Predation / Viral Disease
Sea Lice Related / Predation / Viral Disease
Date:
25/04/22-01/05/22
Mortality:
7,094
Mortality Rate:
1.7%
Reason given: Seal predation
Seal predation
Mortality returned below 1% in week 18. FHI to monitor.
Date:
02/05/22-08/05/22
Mortality:
4,921
Mortality Rate:
1.2%
Reason given: Virus disease, Predation by seals
Virus disease, Predation by seals
CMS, Destocking through harvesting
Seal predation has increased and CMS confirmed on site. Destocking site through harvesting. FHI to monitor.
Date:
09/05/22-15/05/22
Mortality:
8,125
Mortality Rate:
2.0%
Reason given: Viral Disease
Viral Disease
CMS, Destocking through harvesting
CMS confirmed on site. Destocking site through harvesting. FHI to monitor.
Date:
07/08/23-13/08/23
Mortality:
6,916
Mortality Rate:
1.4%
Reason given: Predation by seals
Predation by seals
Site contacted for further information : Mortality predominatly due to predation by seals. The site are changing nets next week (wk34).
FHI to monitor.
Date:
11/09/23-17/09/23
Mortality:
6,488
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Predation
Predation
Predation by seals
Contacted operator who stated that nets were changed to Saphire Seal Pro nets with a second barrier net in wk 34-5, and they are also currently adding additional weights to increase the tensioning of the nets further. FHI to monitor.
Date:
20/05/24-26/05/24
Mortality:
5,538
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Wellboat damage; destocking affected pen through harvest
Wellboat damage; destocking affected pen through harvest
First report this year, FHI to monitor in coming weeks following harvest of affected pen.
Date:
03/06/24-09/06/24
Mortality:
4,187
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Virus disease; Predation by seals
Virus disease; Predation by seals
CMS; post FW wellboat treatment
FHI to monitor.
Date:
29/07/24-04/08/24
Mortality:
2,668
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest
FHI to monitor.
Date:
05/08/24-11/08/24
Mortality:
2,714
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest. Business contacted: Site anticipated to fallow end of September, subject to change.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
09/09/24-15/09/24
Mortality:
1,325
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest
Business contacted for additional information. FHI to monitor. Update 19/9 from business; working to fallow all Setter sites within next 7 weeks, so by end of 10th Nov at latest.
Date:
16/09/24-22/09/24
Mortality:
1,713
Mortality Rate:
1.7%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest. Business previously contacted, site currently expected to fallow mid-November.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
23/09/24-29/09/24
Mortality:
1,996
Mortality Rate:
2.1%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest. Business previously contacted, site currently expected to fallow mid-November.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
30/09/24-06/10/24
Mortality:
1,957
Mortality Rate:
2.1%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest. Business previously contacted, site currently expected to fallow mid-November.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
07/10/24-13/10/24
Mortality:
1,472
Mortality Rate:
1.2%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest
FHI to monitor
Date:
14/10/24-20/10/24
Mortality:
1,674
Mortality Rate:
1.8%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Destocking through harvest
FHI to monitor.
Date:
21/10/24-27/10/24
Mortality:
1,272
Mortality Rate:
1.4%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS;Harvesting to fallow
FHI to monitor.
Date:
28/10/24-03/11/24
Mortality:
1,053
Mortality Rate:
1.4%
Reason given: Viral disease
Viral disease
CMS; Harvesting to fallow
FHI to monitor.
Date:
11/05/26-17/05/26
Mortality:
4,633
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Handling; Gill Health Related
Handling; Gill Health Related
CGD; Post Salmosan wellboat treatment; mortality reduced through week 21
First report this cycle. FHI to monitor.
Date:
18/05/26-24/05/26
Mortality:
3,763
Mortality Rate:
1.04%
Reason given: Environmental. Low DO
Environmental. Low DO
Aeration set up, increased rate of net cleaning.
Historic data, collected during site inspection. Levels dropped below 1% the following week. Report for 2026-0271 to remind business of agreement in relation to mortality reporting as detailed in A Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture.
Date:
22/06/26-28/06/26
Mortality:
25,209
Mortality Rate:
7.2%
Reason given: Environmental
Environmental
Low DO; feed withdrawn. Mortality has reduced the following week.
Second non-consecutive report this cycle. FHI to monitor.
Date:
29/06/26-05/07/26
Mortality:
4,012
Mortality Rate:
1.3%
Reason given: Environmental, Low DO
Environmental, Low DO
Destocking through harvest
Second consecutive report. FHI to monitor.
Date:
03/08/26-09/08/26
Mortality:
1,689
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Gill health related; CGD
Gill health related; CGD
Destocking through harvest
FHI visit scheduled.
Date:
24/08/26-30/08/26
Mortality:
1,413
Mortality Rate:
1.2%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD); Environmental
Gill Health related (CGD); Environmental
Destocking through harvest
Site visited wk 34 - 20260271 - fish appeared in good condition during visit. Site expected to be fallow in October.
Date:
31/08/26-06/09/26
Mortality:
1,866
Mortality Rate:
1.8%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD); Environmental
Gill Health related (CGD); Environmental
Destocking through harvest. Site expected to be fallow in October.
Site visited week 34 (2026-0271). FHI to monitor.
Date:
07/09/26-13/09/26
Mortality:
2,920
Mortality Rate:
3.2%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD)
Gill Health related (CGD)
Destocking through harvest
Site visited week 34 (2026-0271). FHI to monitor.
Date:
14/09/26-20/09/26
Mortality:
714
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD)
Gill Health related (CGD)
Destocking through harvest
Site visited week 34 (2026-0271). FHI to monitor.
Date:
21/09/26-27/09/26
Mortality:
674
Mortality Rate:
1.1%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD)
Gill Health related (CGD)
Destocking through harvest
Site visited week 34 (2026-0271). FHI to monitor.
Date:
28/09/26-04/10/26
Mortality:
977
Mortality Rate:
1.6%
Reason given: Gill Health related (CGD)
Gill Health related (CGD)
Destocking through harvest.
Site visited week 34 (2026-0271). FHI to monitor.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2021-0228


Download VMD fish looked health when opened.
Remote inspection was carried out on the 27/07/21 by . Physical inspection was carried out on the 22/07/2021 by , observed by . VMD sampled by , observed by .
Site has had some issues with seal predation. No damage to equipment - seals predating on fish at side of cage, or in dead sock. The site has trialled Seal Pro nets in the past, but did not find them effective.
AGD has been found on site and freshwater treatment is scheduled to begin 02/08/2021.
Issues raised - Documentation received on the 26/08/2021. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2023-0322


Download Pen 10 being particularly affected by seal predation - tensioned nets in place, but planning to put on predator nets on whole site at next freshwater treatment while fish are on the boat being treated.
Mortalities removed daily by staff and feeding response observed using cameras. Divers visit monthly for net inspections. Take daily water samples Monday to Friday to monitor for plankton. Fish are live harvested.
Stock on site from Girlsta Hatchery and Barcaldine Hatchery.
SLICE treatments for this cycle of fish in April (4-10th), May (22-28th) and July (11-17th)
One weekly mortality above reporting levels not reported at time of incident (10/1/22), but this was under previous operator.
Recorded as mortality event MRT04167 and no further action required. Not raised in fish health report as occurred under previous operator.
Operate boats out of Setterness base, but office for this site and Poseidon located further along road.
Fish feeding deep in water, but no moribunds observed. Unable to catch fish for VMD during initial inspection so returned following day. All fish sampled appeared healthy.
Mortality and sea lice records completed remotely on 21/7/23, other paperwork and inspection completed on 24/7/23. VMD sampling completed on 25/7/23. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0246


Download Wrasse are wild caught and are sourced locally to Shetland. Site was stocked with wrasse on 27/06/2025. Wrasse mortalities since input - wk26 0.02% (1), wk27 0.01% (1)
Fish were observed on site and via feed cameras, they were shoaling and swimming well deep in the water column. The fish had a good feed and stimuli response. 2 wrasse mortalities and 2 salmon mortalities were observed at the time of inspection. 2 fish with spinal deformity were observed across site. It was observed that there were a high number of jellyfish (Species - comb and gooseberry jellyfish) across site.
5 fish were sampled for VMD and were observed to be in good condition externally and internally. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2026-0271


Download Increased mortalities occurred in late June, affecting pens 5 and 6 only, due to low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. These events were reported to FHI.
The mortality spike observed in August affected the whole site and was mainly attributed to environmental gill insults, proliferative gill disease (PGD), and HSMI. Mortality has since fallen back below 1%.
The site is currently being harvested out, with a third pen scheduled to be empty on the day of inspection. The site is expected to be fallow by October 2026.
Fish on site were observed to be in good condition and shoaling well. Only three lethargic fish were noted across the entire site; however, these fish remained in the middle of the pens and could not be collected for further examination.
One fish was removed for VMD sampling and was in good condition, with no clinical signs of disease observed. [Original PDF]

Source