Site Details: Barcaldine Pre-smolt Unit

Barcaldine Hatchery
Barcaldine
Oban Argyll
PA37 1SE
Operator: Scottish Sea Farms Ltd
Water type: Freshwater

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
10/06/24-16/06/24
Mortality:
55,817
Mortality Rate:
2.4%
Reason given: Saprolegnia
Saprolegnia
Bath treatments ongoing. Business contacted: mortality has decreased over the past 2 days and is not further escalating. Fish are responding to treatment and mortality is expected to decrease further into next week.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
17/06/24-23/06/24
Mortality:
52,567
Mortality Rate:
2.3%
Reason given: Saprolegnia
Saprolegnia
Bath treatments ongoing; mortality rate reducing into wk 26
FHI to monitor.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2021-0143


Download Paperwork completed remotely on 20/05/2021 by , shadowed by , physical site inspection on 24/05/2021 by and
Site currently at 14C, normally kept between 13-14C
Currently on Batch 9 in the pre-smolt unit: this is split into batch 9-1 and 9-2
Stock on site appeared in good condition during physical inspection with no moribund/lethargic fish noted. Fish responding well when fed.
Water temperature taken from site thermometers for biosecurity reasons. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2024-0129


Download Fish will be going from the barcaldine smolt unit to sea in Q4 (Aquagen).
Cress or Pyceze alongside Aquacen used for fungus treatments. Currently only able to use Cress.
Movements from fish from ongrowing to presmolt noted in the mortality records as mechanical - any associated mortality related to transfer but only in the first 48hrs.
No fish moved into the pre smolt unit from out with GB. Only transferred from ongrowing (FS1326).
Treatments:
13/09/2023- Aquacen
22/05/2024 - Aquacen in 2021 always treated after grading but due to not seeing any fungus, these precautionary treatments have stopped.
13/09/2023- Cress
22/05/2024- Cress (only one tank treated but all tanks in the unit will be treated in subsequent days) in 2021 always treated after grading but due to not seeing any fungus, these precautionary treatments have stopped.
Site will be changing from use of Tricaine to Syncaine.
During site inspection, a small percentage of fish were observed with white fungus lesions on the tail. No lethargic or moribund fish were observed and therefore no samples have been taken. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2025-0053


Download First fish transferred to pre smolt unit from 06/01/2025 from on-growing.
Mortality events that were reported to FHI for Wk 24 and Wk25 were a result of fungus issues experienced at the time in the presmolt unit and smolt unit. Increased salinity was used to treat fungus within pre-smolt unit latterly and was successful.
Treatments:
2025: no treatments have been administered to date. Only T.M.S for vaccination
Aquacen, Pyceze, cress and formalin were routinely used in 2024 due to fungus issues experienced in pre-smolt and smolt unit. Last treatment (formalin) was administered on 29/10/2024.
During the inspection, fish were observed to be shoaling and feeding well. Fish were removed for VMD sampling and observed to be in good condition. Few fish were seen to have shortened opercula. [Original PDF]

Source