After reporting an earnings drop in its most recent quarter, there is more bad news for Grieg Seafood ASA.
The Bergen, Norway-based salmonid supplier said that routine samples taken at the company’s Tinnlandet farm in Hammerfest indicate suspicion of ISA. Grieg notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) and “immediate action [was] taken to mitigate risk of dissemination of disease,” the salmon supplier said in a statement.
At its Tinnlandet facility, there are more than one million fish with an average weight of 4.2 kilos.
“This fish is performing biologically well and ready for harvest. If further samples confirm the suspicion of ISA, action will be taken to find the best possible solution to empty the site as quickly as possible.”
In mid-May, Grieg reported a drop in its quarterly operational earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) from NOK 214 million (USD 24.9 million, EUR 22.9 million) in 2016 to NOK 131.5 million (USD 15.3 million, EUR 14.1 million) this quarter.
In addition, the volume of fish Grieg harvested dropped 37 percent to 8,552 metric tons. However, the supplier said the low harvest volume was planned, so it could maximize the level of biomass in the sea to achieve higher growth.
