Site Details: East Tarbert Bay

Highfield
Argyll
Argyll
PA41 7AA
Operator: Bakkafrost Scotland
Water type: Seawater

Average female lice per fish

Source

Salmon Scotland mortality

Source

Cumulative mortality over full production cycle

Production cycle end date: Jan 2018
Total losses: 14.7 %

Production cycle end date: Dec 2019
Total losses: 16.4 %

Production cycle end date: Jan 2021
Total losses: 11.7 %

Production cycle end date: Jan 2022
Total losses: 80.2 %

Source

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
18/07/22-24/07/22
Mortality:
31,307
Mortality Rate:
2.25%
Reason given: Environment (Water Quality); Sea Lice related (Post-bath treatment)
Environment (Water Quality); Sea Lice related (Post-bath treatment)
Aeration; plankton monitoring.
Mortality rate increased wk 30. First event this cycle. FHI to monitor. Inspector in area 15/08. If issue continues FHI will investigate.

Date:
25/07/22-31/07/22
Mortality:
105,355
Mortality Rate:
7.73%
Reason given: Environment (Water Quality); Sea Lice related (Post-bath treatment)
Environment (Water Quality); Sea Lice related (Post-bath treatment)
Freshwater transfers to reduced densities for SLICE treatment
Business correspondent contacted. Caligus levels very high on site. To minimize effects of lice burden, 2 bath treatments were conducted in quick succession. Fish are from Applecross and Girlsta and are considered soft fish with reduce mucus layer. With the water quality at input not being favourable and the subsequent handling events have been cause of mortalities. PRV has been confirmed at moderate/high level across site, as well as minimal AGD. Site minimizing handling as well as will split fish via freshwater transfers into Druimyeon Bay to reduce biomass and allow SLICE treatment to commence. FHI inspection scheduled for 17/08/2022. FHI to monitor.

Date:
01/08/22-07/08/22
Mortality:
102,008
Mortality Rate:
8.12%
Reason given: Environment (Water Quality); Physical damage (Caligus)
Environment (Water Quality); Physical damage (Caligus)
Freshwater & SLICE scheduled
Site to be inspected on the 17/8/2022.

Date:
08/08/22-14/08/22
Mortality:
31,839
Mortality Rate:
2.76%
Reason given: Physical damage (Caligus)
Physical damage (Caligus)
Freshwater thin down & SLICE scheduled
Site was inspected, diagnostic samples taken. Awaiting lab results. Fish are being FW treated and split down to Druimyeon Bay.

Date:
05/09/22-11/09/22
Mortality:
16,355
Mortality Rate:
3.41%
Reason given: Gill Health Related
Gill Health Related
FW wk 37
Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342

Date:
12/09/22-18/09/22
Mortality:
65,182
Mortality Rate:
9.93%
Reason given: Gill Health Related
Gill Health Related
FW wk 37; monitor following treatment
Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342. Identified from samples - AGD, IPN, vibrio, aeromonas spp, Paranucleospora theridion

Date:
19/09/22-25/09/22
Mortality:
7,307
Mortality Rate:
1.21%
Reason given: Handling (Post-treatment); Gill Health Related
Handling (Post-treatment); Gill Health Related
FW wk 37; monitor following treatment
Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342. Identified from samples - AGD, IPN, vibrio, aeromonas spp, Paranucleospora theridion. Mortalities are reducing from the previous week. FHI to monitor.

Date:
26/09/22-02/10/22
Mortality:
24,260
Mortality Rate:
4.06%
Reason given: Handling (Post-treatment); Gill Health Related
Handling (Post-treatment); Gill Health Related
FW scheduled week 40/41
Site contacted, PD confirmed onsite along with gill health issues, AGD confirmed. FW treatment scheduled for w/b 10/10/2022. Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342. Identified from samples - AGD, IPN, vibrio, aeromonas spp, Paranucleospora theridion. Mortalities increased from the previous week. FHI to monitor.

Date:
03/10/22-09/10/22
Mortality:
58,941
Mortality Rate:
10.27%
Reason given: Gill Health Related
Gill Health Related
FW week 41
Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342. Identified from samples - AGD, IPN, vibrio, aeromonas spp, Paranucleospora theridion. Site contacted for further information - PD confirmed onsite along with gill health issues, AGD confirmed onsite. The site completed a FW treatment last week and the fish have responded well and are back on their feed. Daily mortality is decreasing. FHI to monitor.

Date:
10/10/22-16/10/22
Mortality:
66,587
Mortality Rate:
12.85%
Reason given: Gill Health Related
Gill Health Related
FW week 41
FHI to Monitor outcome of FW. Inspector in area week 47, but inspection scheduled earlier if required.

Date:
17/10/22-23/10/22
Mortality:
38,559
Mortality Rate:
8.37%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease;
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease;
FW scheduled week 44
FHI to visit wk 45

Date:
24/10/22-30/10/22
Mortality:
48,635
Mortality Rate:
11.53%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
FW week 44
FHI to visit wk 45. AGD, PD, and Rickettsia identified on site.

Date:
31/10/22-06/11/22
Mortality:
39,019
Mortality Rate:
10.45%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
FW week 44
FHI visited and diagnostic samples taken wk 45. Confirmed Rickettsia identified and awaiting other results. FHI to monitor.

Date:
07/11/22-13/11/22
Mortality:
39,743
Mortality Rate:
11.89%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Monitor following FW week 44
FHI visited and diagnostic samples taken wk 45. Confirmed Rickettsia and gill issues. FHI to monitor.

Date:
14/11/22-20/11/22
Mortality:
47,768
Mortality Rate:
16.22%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
FW Scheduled wk 47/48
A continuation of the elevated mortalities. Site Inspected wk 45, gill health issues and Rickettsia identified. FHI to monitor.

Date:
21/11/22-27/11/22
Mortality:
30,311
Mortality Rate:
12.29%
Reason given: Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Gill Health Related; Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Scheduled for FW
A continuation of the elevated mortalities. Site Inspected wk 45, gill health issues and Rickettsia identified. Mortality levels have reduced from previous week. FHI to monitor.

Date:
28/11/22-04/12/22
Mortality:
28,176
Mortality Rate:
13.02%
Reason given: Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
Viral Disease; Bacterial Disease
FW & consolidation scheduled week 49
Business correspondant contacted - consolidation complete. 4 cages remain stocked on site. Mortality has reduced but is still high at currently 7%. Business is monitoring to determine potential next steps. FHI to monitor.

Date:
05/12/22-11/12/22
Mortality:
19,474
Mortality Rate:
4.98%
Reason given: Viral Disease, Gill Health, Bacterial Disease
Viral Disease, Gill Health, Bacterial Disease
Consolidation complete in FW, monitor and review
4 stocked cages. Mortalities decreased from previous week. FHI to monitor.

Date:
12/12/22-18/12/22
Mortality:
11,387
Mortality Rate:
3.07%
Reason given: Gill health, viral disease, bacterial disease
Gill health, viral disease, bacterial disease
Mortalities continuing to decrease each week. FHI to monitor

Date:
19/12/22-25/12/22
Mortality:
12,721
Mortality Rate:
3.54%
Reason given: Viral Disease, Gill Health, Bacterial Disease
Viral Disease, Gill Health, Bacterial Disease
Monitor, potential FW week 1
Site contacted for further information. Ongoing elevated mortality, Gill health issues and PD. Only 4 cages left onsite. Mortality has decreased in week 52. FHI to monitor.

Date:
26/12/22-01/01/23
Mortality:
7,477
Mortality Rate:
2.15%
Reason given: Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
FW treatment week 1, weather permitting
Continued gill health issues and PD on site. 4 pens remain.Significant decrease in mortality from previous week. FW treatment conducted wk 1 2023. Site has been visited and diagnostics taken in August and November 2022. FHI to monitor.

Date:
02/01/23-08/01/23
Mortality:
4,970
Mortality Rate:
3.57%
Reason given: Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
FW treatment planned, Monitor
Continued gill health issues and PD on site. 4 pens remaining. Decrease in mortality from previous week. Site has been visited and diagnostics taken in August and November 2022. FHI to monitor.

Date:
09/01/23-15/01/23
Mortality:
3,516
Mortality Rate:
2.62%
Reason given: Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
FW treatment planned, Monitor
Business contacted. Continued gill health and PD on site. Further decrease in mortality from previous weeks. FW treatment scheduled for early February. Site visited and diagnostic samples taken in August and November 2022. FHI to monitor.

Date:
16/01/23-22/01/23
Mortality:
1,826
Mortality Rate:
1.40%
Reason given: Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
Gill Health, Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease
FW treatment planned, Monitor
Site contacted for further information. Mixed gill health issues affecting fish health, mainly AGD. Fish have tested positive for PD and SRS is suspected. FW treatment planned for beginning of week 7. FHI to monitor.

Date:
23/01/23-29/01/23
Mortality:
1,679
Mortality Rate:
1.30%
Reason given: Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease, Gill health
Viral Disease, Bacterial Disease, Gill health
FW treatment planned, Monitor
Mixed gill health issues affecting fish health, mainly AGD. Fish have tested positive for PD and SRS is suspected. FW treatment planned for beginning of week 7. FHI to monitor.

Date:
30/01/23-05/03/23
Mortality:
5,143
Mortality Rate:
4.05%
Reason given: Viral disease; Water quality - plankton blooms
Viral disease; Water quality - plankton blooms
Manage feeding and aereation around plankton blooms; freshwater treatment and consolidation scheduled.
PD is confirmed on site. FHI to monitor.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2021-0146


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Case paperwork and physical inspection carried out by while shadowed by
Fish removed from pens for vmd sampling appeared in good health with no internal signs of disease. Fins showing no damage. Lice loads reflecting the numbers that have been reported. Site has just begun feeding stock with SLICE.
LUM morts - wk16 326 (0.04%), wk17 533 (0.65%), wk 18 496 (0.61%), wk 19 (706 (0.88%). LUM stocked on site from wk 12.
Seal Pro nets with sinker tube to maintain tension. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2021-0406


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All salmon input from Geisgil. Transported in FW. Lump fish input from Ocean Matters and Otterferry,
Morts/site/wk; Wk30 0.32%, Wk31 0.9%, Wk32 1.85%, Wk33 1.07%, Wk34 0.96%, wk35 1.19 %, Wk36 1.3%, Wk37 1.4%, wk38 10.84%, Wk39 20%, Wk40 14.5%, Wk 41 0.95% - part week.
Currently divers are removing about 200 morts/cage/day.
There were a number of mortality disposal methods available for the two sites;
• Billy Bowie- whole in skips to Barkip Biogas (collection docs observed).
• Gogar – Energen Bio Gas- to Dunnswood Road, Cumbernauld (collection docs observed).
• They have a new well boat the Buccaness - hydrolicer and macerator/ensiler. Can hold 1000 cube of morts, current morts on- board of 200 cube. - material ensiled with formic acid. Then it will be pumped off into tankers and used as biofuel but uncertain currently of final destination. The boat was present during our visit.
• Fergusons boat for mort removal had been used but was not on site during our visit.
Collection docs were available for inspection from Billy Bowie and Gogar. Capacity for mort disposal was in my opinion adequate and staff numbers at the sites were increased to deal with the mortalities with staff being brought in from other areas. Divers were also present at the time of our visit for mortality removal.
Lice; caligus peaked wk37 at 10.37. Increased mortality had prevented treatment and there was evidence on site of lice damage on some fish.
Treatments;Hydrolicer 24/6/21- 2/6/21, FW and salmosan 18/7/21-23/7/21, hydrolicer 4/8-14/8, salmosan 28/8, hydroliced 1/9-
4/9, hydrolicer 27/9/-4/10, FW panned 13/10/21.
Health surveillance;
AGD- low level. Most resent sample slight higher but not at levels which would be considered to have caused mortality.
PCV - haematocrit levels. Have fallen in last couple of weeks.
CPK -muscle fatigue for PD- have been low levels showing recovery from infection.
Mortality considered to be due to environmental insult but no jellies observed in water samples. Upwell species were observed.
Morts - normally taken by site boat and skipped at shore base. Divers in daily to remove morts. - numbers of fish on site will be reviewed following a fw well boat treatment. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2022-0342


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Fish were input on site for the first time in wk17. Fish were input at ~150g and were noted to be soft as well as possess reduced amount of mucus. The stock on site originates from two hatcheries: Applecross Smolt unit and Girlsta Hatchery. The fish from Girlsta are a mix of stofinfiskur and Aquagen.
During the site inspection, fish were observed to be jumpy. In addition, a freshwater treatment and transfer was occuring to reduce the biomass on site so that in the next 3 weeks a SLICE treatment can occur. The freshwater treatment was being administered by the Ronjafisk and exposure to freshwater is ~1 hour. Transfers were to Druimyeon Bay, where 5 pens from
East Tarbert Bay had already been moved to.
From health surveillance conducted on site, 2 pens (1 and 7) were confirmed to have PRV. No clinical changes were observed and is currently not the primary suggested cause of increased mortality on site.
Caligus levels extremely high in Wk 29, 30 and 31. Micro jelly bloom occurred in the week of input, which agitated gills primarily. Then the arrival of Lion's mane jellyfish exacerbated gill issues on site further. Mild AGD observed in gills of fish.
Diagnostic samples taken from pen 1. Sampled fish were moribund and lethargic. In addition, signs of loss of equilibrium where beginning.
Fish sampled for VMD appeared healthy. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2022-0465


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Site visited 17/8/22 and diagnostic samples taken case 20220342. Identified from samples - AGD, IPN, vibrio, aeromonas spp,
Paranucleospora theridion. - PD confirmed onsite along with gill health issues, AGD confirmed onsite.
Weekly morts for site; 19/9 1.21% 7307 fish; 26/9 4.06% 24260 fish; 3/10 10.27% 58941 fish; 10/10 12.85% 66.587 fish; 17/10
8.37% 38559 fish. Freshwater treatment scheduled week 44 - gill health and viral disease.
Morts for week 43 2022 were 48635 fish (11.53%) due to gill issues, PD and rickettsia, week 44 (10.45%), and week 45
(11.89%)
Site thermometer used as error in T146
SLICE treatment 11/9/22; Freshwater on Ronjafisk, 15/9, 11/10, 6/11
Histo health reports; 24/10/22 acute SAV, gills with multiple aetiologies- no amoebae; 18/10/22; gills low level environmental, suspect PRV, low energy stores suggesting fish not feeding. 26/9/22 AGD
Wrasse mortality reported to be low.
Due to poor weather only able to walk round 4 cages. However moribund fish were collected from theses cages. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2024-0182


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During previous cycle site had black losses of wrasse at harvest (wk 11 2023, mort count - 12,000)
Before site became fallow the site had experienced elevated mortalities that were mainly contributed to Pancreas disease.
Inspection was conducted by supervised by [Original PDF]

Source