SalMar received on Friday 17th of April an advance notice regarding removal of the biomass on Værøya, a PD affected site in Central Norway. The site hosts 1.72 million fish with an average weight of 0,42kg. The fish has a production cost of approx. NOK 23 million.
SalMar has had an ongoing dialogue with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, and SalMar received today NFSA's final decision regarding the removal of the biomass. SalMar is instructed to remove the biomass by Sunday the 3rd of May 2009. SalMar will comply with these instructions.
In order to minimize the loss incurred SalMar is actively trying to sell the fish in question in a round, frozen state. If this is unsuccessful the fish will be destroyed. SalMar is also working on ways to compensate for the resulting shortfall in production and harvest volumes for 2009 and 2010. Such measures may include growing the current biomass to higher average weights as well as putting more salmon into the sea in the spring or summer of 2009. Such measures will allow SalMar to reduce the negative effects of this incident substantially.
SalMar will comment more on the net effect of the measures taken in connection with the Q1 presentation on May 6th.
For further information:
CEO Leif Inge Nordhammer, + 47 916 85 250