Following a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) surveillance authority inspection in May 2019, a temporary suspension of exports of salmon and rainbow trout eggs from Norway was established. The restrictions imposed, which were disclosed after a freedom of information request by Scottish Salmon Watch, relate to the certification of aquatic animals from Infectious Salmon Disease (ISA)-free compartments and do not relate to all exports.
The EFTA Surveillance Authority, responsible for assessing control systems related to food and feed safety, raised a number of concerns relating to the trade in live aquatic animals, including eggs. According to the report, Norway is unable to ensure that farmed fish/shellfish sent for export to other European economic area states will not affect the health of farmed fish/shellfish in those receiving countries.
The suspension remains in place as corrective measures are taken and implemented such as providing a justifiable list of ISA-free compartments. The Scottish government is pressing Norway to finalized urgently the list. Meanwhile, all salmon eggs shipments to Scotland made after the ban are from Stofnfiskur, Iceland.
ISA is an infectious viral disease of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.). The disease was first reported in Norway in 1984, but has since been reported in Canada, the USA, the Faroe Islands, Ireland and Scotland. Both outbreaks of ISA in Scotland in 1998-99 and 2008-09 were successfully eradicated.
