Disinfection plant intake station Ane Silseth Skarvøy

The future solution for good biosecurity in aquaculture

Disinfection of water is one of the most important measures to ensure good biosecurity in aquaculture operations. A specialist committee has been established under the auspices of Standard Norway to look at the standardization of certification schemes and operating methods.

The initiative for the establishment of the standardization committee comes from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Veterinary Institute. The background is that the current system, where the Veterinary Institute makes decisions on which method and technical equipment can be used, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority oversees and makes decisions, is not adapted to today's and tomorrow's aquaculture industry.

"We see this project as an important milestone in securing safe and sustainable solutions for the aquaculture industry, which will have great utility outside Norway's borders as well. Standard Norway is proud to contribute to the development of standards that ensure safe and effective disinfection of water in the aquaculture industry, an important step for sustainable food production both nationally and internationally," says Director of Energy, Sustainability and Technology at Standard Norway, Åse Lunde.

Innovation and prevention

The aim of the work is to enable a comparison of the effect of disinfection with various disinfection methods through one or more new standards. The result will contribute to technological neutrality, and increase innovation in the field to effectively prevent and limit the spread of infectious diseases in aquatic organisms.

Strengthens sustainability

With the development of new Norwegian standards, it is ensured that the aquaculture industry gets improved disinfection to achieve better biosecurity. This strengthens the sustainability of the industry, contributes to better fish health and fish welfare and contributes to maintaining Norway's leading position in aquaculture globally.

"Standardization of certification schemes and to measure the effect of disinfection of water both in and out of aquaculture operations is very important to ensure and improve biosecurity. This will lead to better fish health and fish welfare, and more sustainable growth in the farming industry", says committee leader Sonal Patel from the Veterinary Institute.

Changes require new regulations and new standards

Today's regulation on disinfection of intake and waste water gives the Veterinary Institute the authority to approve methods and technical equipment for disinfection of water in aquaculture facilities. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority supervises and makes decisions based on this approval scheme.

Since the regulation came into force in 1997, the aquaculture industry has changed a lot. The changes include i.a. the introduction of closed, semi-closed and combination facilities on land, larger hatcheries, floating technology at sea, more advanced vessels for the transport of fish, larger facilities, and the breeding of new species.

This development has made the existing regulations obsolete and not adapted to today's production systems.

"Therefore, together with the Veterinary Institute, we took the initiative to have standards drawn up under the auspices of Standard Norway. In parallel with the standardization committee's work, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will revise the regulation so that it meets today's and future challenges in the farming industry", says Lise Rokkones, section head of fish health and fish welfare in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Source: Standard Norge/NTB Kommunikasjon

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