In Måsøval, we're proud of the work we do to ensure that salmon and cleaner fish have good fish welfare. Good biological control is our mantra, and it makes up the very heart of our operations.
When we achieve good biological control and offer good living conditions for our fish, we end up with healthy salmon that can thrive throughout its lifespan. This is decisive to securing good profitability, and for enabling us to safeguard our role as a sustainable food producer.
In Måsøval, fish health is everyone's responsibility, and each individual employee contributes to achieve and maintain good fish welfare from roe to harvest.
In order to succeed, we cooperate closely with several of the best academic environments in Norway. We actively contribute to research with capital and expertise, and have a strong focus on finding technological solutions that contribute to better biological control.
Måsøval's salmon production is characterized by a high survival rate, very good growth, and good disease control. In the last few years prior to 2021, we have reduced mortality after sea transfer to under one-third, and increased the survival rate for smolt to over 95%.
When we compare ourselves with the Norwegian Veterinary Institute's figures for average mortality in the aquaculture industry, our performance is very impressive! The growth rate has improved significantly in recent years, a trend that has continued throughout 2020.
Since 2016, the growth rate measured in TGC has increased from 2.55 to approximately 3.3. Increased growth increases production efficiency and leads to a shorter time period in open net pens.. The latter contributes to reducing the risk of disease, increasing fish welfare, and reducing the risk of negative impacts on the aquatic ecosystems of which our production is a part.
Fish health efforts in Måsøval are – and must be – integrated into the entire value chain. Every week, all of the company's operations units and professional staff gather to attend an interdisciplinary biology meeting, where we present status, and make any decisions that are required to secure good biological control.
In addition, we have a strong focus on identifying the most important biological factors the company is facing at any given time, whether causes of death, capacity challenges or environmental or technical production conditions. We address these challenges at every stage of development, so that our resources are constantly focused on areas where they are the most effective.
Good fish health requires good environmental conditions, whether they be environmental conditions at sea-based farms or water quality at smolt facilities. In Måsøval, we work in a focused manner to further develop and optimise our facilities portfolio. This has led to increased production potential and reduced risk in recent years.
