Fantastic results for this years outgoing salmon smolt.

This year’s count of the sea-lice on the outward travelling smolt has shown good results. The West Country has been plagued by high mortality rates due to huge volume of lice per fish. In fact it’s the best result recorded in the 1998-2002-research period.

Norway’s Ocean research institute claim that none of this year’s smolt will die due to the threat of the lice. This is a turn around from last year’s disaster, 90% of all sea bound salmon smolt died. The low numbers of lice are seen as a positive sign for the salmon and sea-trout population. The Norway’s Ocean research institute has studied several fjords along the mid coast. Fjords such as Radfjorden, Herdlefjorden and Nordfjord where studied over the period from mid May through to early June.

In Sognfjord alone the number of smolt per fish was down to an amazing two lice per fish. This is a record breaker for the research period. Added to the good news were reports from the other fjords in the study group of low lice tallies. This can be compared to the 2001 reports. An average of 81 lice per fish were reported
These good figures are great news for the future of salmon Sognfjord. Although many factors will dictate the numbers of fish the will return to such rivers as flekka. We will keep you informed on the latest research as it comes to hand

Skot