Site Details: Applecross Smolt Ongrowing 1

Applecross
Kishorn
IV54 8XF
Operator: Bakkafrost Scotland
Water type: Freshwater

Fish Health Inspectorate mortality

Date:
11/12/23-17/12/23
Mortality:
11,567
Mortality Rate:
1.98%
Reason given: Transfer, Fungus
Transfer, Fungus
Increased Salinity, enhanced moribund removal
FHI to monitor following recent movement and increased salinity treatment.
Date:
15/01/24-21/01/24
Mortality:
50,620
Mortality Rate:
3.56%
Reason given: Transfer
Transfer
Business contacted: Mortalities caused by physical damage due to issues with pipes. Pipework inspected and replaced with new transfer system. Mortalities below threshold in week 5.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
22/01/24-28/01/24
Mortality:
30,488
Mortality Rate:
2.22%
Reason given: Transfer (Physical damage)
Transfer (Physical damage)
Business contacted: Mortalities caused by physical damage due to issues with pipes. Pipework inspected and replaced with new transfer system. Mortalities below threshold in week 5.
FHI to monitor.
Date:
29/01/24-04/02/24
Mortality:
147,668
Mortality Rate:
11.01%
Reason given: Bacterial Disease (Furunculosis)
Bacterial Disease (Furunculosis)
Business contacted: transfer damage from previous weeks seems to have triggered a Furunculosis outbreak. Diseased fish have been culled and unaffected stock was transferred off site in week 6. The site is now fallow. Full disinfection to take place.
Site fallow - no further action.
Date:
02/12/24-08/12/24
Mortality:
13,615
Mortality Rate:
1.62%
Reason given: Fungus
Fungus
Elevated salinity
FHI inspection week 47. FHI to monitor.
Date:
23/12/24-29/12/24
Mortality:
16,056
Mortality Rate:
2.43%
Reason given: Transfer
Transfer
Mortality linked to escape event MSe221224SAL1. During smolt loading, the connection between wellboat and transfer line was broken, resulting in fish mortality within the pipework.

Source

Inspection reports

Case Number: 2024-0058


Download Site visit conducted accompanied by APHA Vet following reports of significant mortalities.
Initial mortality event report was wk 3 50,620 (3.56%), wk 4 30,488 (2.22%), wk 5 147,668 (11.01%).
During stocking of the site there was an issue with the pipework, a burr on a reducer resulted in some physical damage this was replaced and transfers continued without further issue. Mortalities continued to increase post transfer, some fungus was reported but following disease screening furunculosis was identified as the underlying cause of the elevated mortalities. In week 5, on veterinary advice, the fish were transferred to sea (Aird) to reduce the infection pressure within the system. The site was fallowed on the 6/2/2024, A full clean and disinfect was to be completed.
Due to the issues that have occurred onsite, the surveillance frequency could not be assessed appropriately as the frequency of movements on and off site were not representative of normal site operations, the site will remain medium risk. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2024-0444


Download Site visit conducted accompanied by APHA vet following reports of significant mortalities in other Applecross units (FS0500 &
FS1362).
Unit first stocked in December 2023. Current stock has been in the unit since 23/10/24. More transfers planned this week from
Applecross Smolt Unit 2 (FS1362). Mortality has increased in week 46 due to fungus. The flow in the tanks has been increased and the salinity raised to 5ppt. The mortality rate will be below the reportable threshold in week 47 (updated
Fish appeared in good condition and displayed a good feeding response. A small amount of lethargic runts was observed, these would quickly swim away when approached with a net. Minimal fungus observed in the main population. The fish removed for VMD sampling appeared healthy both externally and internally.
Site thermometer used due to biosecurity, thermometers are regularly checked against a mercury thermometer. [Original PDF]

Case Number: 2024-0480


Download Site inspected and VMD samples taken.
Upon the physical inspection of the stocks approximately 20 - 30 moribund or lethargic fish were observed in each tank. A few fish in each tank were also observed having fungus. A routine fish health inspection was conducted by the FHI on 19/11/2024
(2024-0444), since the last inspection this unit has been stocked with a further 511,711 fish. Mortality on the site since the date of last inspection has been mainly attributed to transfer losses.
The fungus is being controlled onsite by increased flow and the salinity has been raised to 5ppt.
All fish sampled for VMD appeared healthy both internally and externally. [Original PDF]

Source