Site Details: Inverkerry Smolt Unit

Inverkerry
Ross-shire
Ross-shire
IV21 2AL
Operator: Landcatch Natural Selection Ltd
Water type: Freshwater

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
28/11/22-04/12/22
Mortality:
18,054
Mortality Rate:
2.97%
Reason given: Vaccination mortality and associated Saprolegnia infection
Vaccination mortality and associated Saprolegnia infection
Anti-fungal treatments administered to affected tanks
Historic data collected during site inspection
Date:
26/12/22-01/01/23
Mortality:
11,659
Mortality Rate:
2%
Reason given: Vaccination mortality and associated Saprolegnia infection
Vaccination mortality and associated Saprolegnia infection
Anti-fungal treatments administered to affected tanks
Historic data collected during site inspection
Date:
02/01/23-08/01/23
Mortality:
9,517
Mortality Rate:
1.67%
Reason given: Post-vaccination mortality and Saprolegnia infection
Post-vaccination mortality and Saprolegnia infection
Anti-fungal treatments administered to affected tanks
Historic data collected during site inspection
Date:
09/01/23-15/01/23
Mortality:
8,791
Mortality Rate:
1.57%
Reason given: Post-vaccination mortality and Saprolegnia infection
Post-vaccination mortality and Saprolegnia infection
Anti-fungal treatments administered to affected tanks
Historic data collected during site inspection
Date:
07/08/23-13/08/23
Mortality:
16,678
Mortality Rate:
2.73%
Reason given: Sudden increase in mortality approx 3-4 days after vaccination. Not sure of primary cause but an adverse reaction notification has been sent to the vaccine supplier and independent veterinary examination has been carried out - results pending. The mortality event appears to be continuing into Week 33.
Sudden increase in mortality approx 3-4 days after vaccination. Not sure of primary cause but an adverse reaction notification has been sent to the vaccine supplier and independent veterinary examination has been carried out - results pending. The mortality event appears to be continuing into Week 33.
Anti-fungal treatment programme ongoing.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
14/08/23-20/08/23
Mortality:
20,703
Mortality Rate:
1.6%
Reason given: Continuation of post-vaccination mortality & associated Saprolegnia infection.
Continuation of post-vaccination mortality & associated Saprolegnia infection.
Daily mortality peaked on Tuesday and has dropped quickly each day since.
Historic data collected during site inspection
Date:
18/09/23-24/09/23
Mortality:
28,558
Mortality Rate:
2.33%
Reason given: Rapid rise in mortalty mainly due to saprolegnia infection but also HSS-type symptoms, affecting stock in advanced state of smoltification.
Rapid rise in mortalty mainly due to saprolegnia infection but also HSS-type symptoms, affecting stock in advanced state of smoltification.
Site contacted. Fish were put to sea leaving 24/9/23 and arrived 26/9/23. Second output of 2023 S0 leaving today (27/9/23) destined for Invertote. No 2023 S0 remain on site. Other fish on site - 2024 S1 are not having the same mortalitiy issues.
Date:
02/09/24-08/09/24
Mortality:
32,350
Mortality Rate:
2.58%
Reason given: Saprolegnia
Saprolegnia
Brought seawater transfer date forward by 10 days. All fish to be transferred by 11/09.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
17/03/25-23/03/25
Mortality:
5,607
Mortality Rate:
1.78%
Reason given: Smoltification & Saprolegniosis
Smoltification & Saprolegniosis
Mortality is a result of exacerbation of existing low-level Saprolegniosis by the onset of smoltification and rising freshwater temperatures. Business is trying to bring forward the transfer date, currently due to take place on 5th April, and are reluctant to treat because of negative impact on smoltification.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
24/03/25-30/03/25
Mortality:
14,894
Mortality Rate:
4.73%
Reason given: Smoltification & Saprolegniosis
Smoltification & Saprolegniosis
Fish were transferred to seawater on 30/03/2025
FHI to monitor.
Date:
11/08/25-17/08/25
Mortality:
170,856
Mortality Rate:
5.87%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Vetierinary inspection, PCR & subsequent antibiotic treatment commenicing 16/08/25
Business contacted for further information. Antibiotic treatments have been conducted as planned. FHI to monitor.
Date:
18/08/25-24/08/25
Mortality:
135,262
Mortality Rate:
4.36%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Antibiotic treatment ended on 25/08/25.
FHI visit scheduled. (total numbers of mortalities amended on the 2/9/2025 following inspection, numbers originally submitted were incorrect). Changed from 131858 to 135262.
Date:
01/09/25-07/09/25
Mortality:
343,184
Mortality Rate:
11.72%
Reason given:
Under investigation. Possibly environmental challenge.
``
Site visited by FHI 27/08. FHI to monitor.
Date:
08/09/25-14/09/25
Mortality:
303,075
Mortality Rate:
11.97%
Reason given: Environmental challenge / bacterial gill disease.
Environmental challenge / bacterial gill disease.
Pyceze and Chloramine-T treatments. A change from Pyceze to Chloramine-T treatments has proven effective with mortality dropping significantly from Friday onwards. Appetite in the surviving stock has noticeably improved.
Site visited by FHI 27/08 (case 2025-0336). FHI to monitor.Site revisited 18/9/25 case 20250347- Diagnostic samples taken.
Date:
22/09/25-28/09/25
Mortality:
32,666
Mortality Rate:
2.94%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Vet inspection & commence treatment with Oxytetracycline. Pyceze & Chloramine-T treatments.
FHI visited week 38 (case 20250347), diagnostic samples taken. FHI to monitor.
Date:
29/09/25-05/10/25
Mortality:
32,986
Mortality Rate:
2.08%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Continue oxytetracycline treatment in affected stocks
FHI visited (case 2025-0347), diagnostic samples taken. Awaiting results. FHI to monitor.
Date:
06/10/25-12/10/25
Mortality:
21,764
Mortality Rate:
1.73%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Oxytetracylcine treatment completed 7th Oct. Significant mortality only occurring in one tank - consider culling in the coming week.
FHI visited (case 2025-0347), diagnostic samples taken. Awaiting some results. Mortality has reduced from previous weeks. FHI to monitor.
Date:
13/10/25-19/10/25
Mortality:
40,220
Mortality Rate:
3.26%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
No improvement in mortality in the affected tank. Tank to be culled by the end of Week 43. Excluding tank B05, the total site mortality would have been 5,422 fish (0.48%).
FHI visited (case 2025-0347), diagnostic samples taken. Awaiting some results. FHI to monitor.
Date:
20/10/25-26/10/25
Mortality:
31,363
Mortality Rate:
2.65%
Reason given: Furunculosis
Furunculosis
Significant mortality only occurring in one tank. Remaining fish culled 24/10/2025.
FHI visited (case 2025-0347), diagnostic samples taken. Awaiting some results. FHI to monitor.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2021-0102


Download Site under development - 24 8m tanks replacing 76 3m - still keeping 41 5 meter tanks. Completed by July/august 65 in total. all stock on site stofnfiskur origin - moved onto site from Ormsary.
Mortality (last 4 weeks) - Week 15 (3606 0.24%), Week 14 (1915 0.29%), Week 13 (2002 - 0.28%), Week 12 (3468 0.49%)
Mortality data submitted after inspection. Could not get a mortality report on site at time of inspection due to technical issues, daily mortality records for 2 weeks prior to inspection viewed, no sign of increased mortality.
Fish treated with formalin at weekend, early signs of saprolegnia. Stock treated with Slice before moving to sea sites. tanks E2 and G8 being exported to France. Some damage in both tanks noted on the pectoral fins, looks like a mixture of abrasion damage with some aggression. Fish looked healthy otherwise, no moribunds observed
Disinfection records inspected and all ok. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2021-0564


Download Physical Inspection conducted by , shadowed by . No clinical signs of disease observed on site. Export certificate signed by . 5,500 SAL at 20g exported to Aquatech Group, Malta by Migdale Transport. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2023-0476


Download Withdrawal for anaesthetic tricaine as vaccinated recently
Increased morts 13/8/23 2.73% 1 tank C2 vaccinations. 16678 - adverse vaccination reaction. outstanding issues following visit ; no weekly % for site back to 31/11/21, frequency mort removal documentaion no provided; results of samples from August not avalable; All information required supplied by emailed 13/11/23
Inverkerry Hatchery currently fallow. Stocking at end of month from Stofinfisker.
Fish at smolt unit vaccinated 16/10/23 till 27/10/23
Aquacen - formalin used at site post vaccine
Morts collected by Fergusons to Barkip or Inverness
Health report results; 18/8/23 = severe fungal infection compatible with Saprolegnia sp. on gills and skin. Glochidia sp - metazoan in all gill samples. 23/8/23 - mortality event derived from multiple factors- stress induced by increase temp and vaccination handling, background Glochidia sp. and saprolegniasis. 23/2/23- nephorocalcinosis and mild sphaerospora infection.
Paperwork and sampling Inspection and [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0336


Download Site was inspected due to elevated mortalities reported to the FHI.
Mortalities for the last four weeks, wk 32 17429 (0.74%), wk 33 170856 (5.87%), wk 34 135262 (4.36%) wk 35 41254 (1.39%).
Fish (2026 s1) were moved on from Inverpolly Hatchery (FS0264) from the 1/8/2025 to the 15/8/2025 it was this stock that had the increased mortalities. Email communication with the company confirmed that furunculosis had been confirmed in the stock in July 2025 at Inverpolly prior to the transfers to Inverkerry. Antibiotics had been administered and the stock was considered post clinical as mortalities has settled down. Post transfer elevated mortalities occurred and furunculosis was identified by PCR and antibiotics (Oxytet) prescribed and administered.
No issues with the other stock on site.
On inspection of the site (all stocked tanks inspected) no clinical signs of disease were observed therefore no diagnostic samples were taken.
Water levels were low on the site due to hydro scheme. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0347


Download Reported mort events; 1/8/25-7/8/25 8g 11.72% 343184 fish unexplained
8/9/25-14/9/25 10g 11.97% environmental challenge/ bacterial gill disease 303075 fish. Pyceze and Chloramine-T treatments.
A change from Pyceze to Chloramine-T treatments has proven effective with mortality dropping significantly from Friday onwards. Appetite in the surviving stock has noticeably improved.
Fish (2026 s1) were moved on from Inverpolly Hatchery (FS0264) from the 1/8/2025 to the 15/8/2025, had furunculosis prior to visit from FHI on 27/8/25 and were treated with antibiotics. This issue resolved after treatment and is considered separate from the last two reported mortality events which are being attributed to gill disease and environmental challenges.
Mortalities since last inspection on 27/8/25(3 weeks). 692084 (29.57%) - all stocks. 682343 (51%) in small parr and 9741 in large parr. Small parr (B tanks) have been lethargic, not responding to human activity and moribund.
Larger parr will be moved to Loch Awe in November. Small parr were due to go to Loch Damph but because of mort issues this is now undecided.
Treatments 12/9, 15,9 and 10/9 Chloramine T treatment in small parr. 11/9, 9/9, and 7/9 Bronopol - Pyceze in small parr.
Floricol treatment ended 22/8/25 in small parr (225DD). Larger parr were sampled for VMD and were treated with formalin
17/9/25
Health reports STIM (fish vet group); 15/9/25 Gill pathology suggestive of suboptimal environmental conditions, apoptosis.
Suspicion of SGPV. Organic debris and small rod-shaped bacteria on gills- atypical bacterial gill disease.
Health reports STIM (fish vet group); 8/9/25; Moderate gill pathology suggestive of environmental insult, glochidia parasite,
PCR SGPV 6/6, IPN 0/6 Aeromonas salmonicidia 0/6
Health reports STIM (fish vet group); 4/9/25 PCR; RTFS 0/7, IPN 0/7, IPN 0/7, Aeromonas salmonicidia 0/7, ERM 0/7
On inspection of the tanks the small parr (B tanks) had 15-30 moribund fish in the mort removal side tanks. [Original PDF]

Source