Norwegian growth success for Landcatch smolts

A third Norwegian salmon farm is currently on-growing smolts from Landcatch Scotland, completing a year of exceptionally good performance in Norwegian waters of stock supplied directly from the Argyll-based company.

The latest smolt export consisted of 200,000 S0s which were delivered to Melaks AS, at Austevoll in Hordaland county in September. This followed excellent growth and strong survival in Landcatch stock being on-grown earlier this year by Lingalaks at their Saltkjelen site in Hardanger Fjord, close to Bergen, and by Feøy Fiskeoppdrett at their Kvaløy Ost site, near Haugasund.

"We delivered 96-gram smolts to Lingalaks in late March and early April in 2007 and the first 30 per cent of their stock of 300,000 S1s were harvested in early June this year at an average weight of 5 kilos,"  said Chris Mitchell, sales manager for Landcatch. "The stock's average growth coefficient was 3.04 at a survival rate of 87 per cent, both really impressive performance figures.

This 'debut performance' in Norway for Landcatch stocks is viewed by the company as 'highly encouraging' particularly as the stock performed so well under quite contrasting site conditions.

Hardanger, for example, is fjordic, calm and warm while Kvaløy Ost is shallow, exposed and cool.

"We're obviously pleased with the performance figures which were achieved at Lingalaks and Feøy Fiskeoppdrett this year and delighted to now have stock on-growing in yet another location in Norway,"  said Mr Mitchell.