Sporbarhet AS and Blue Analytics AS have entered into a cooperation agreement to operate a system for DNA tracking of escaped farmed salmon. The tracking system will be put into use from October 2021 and is included as the primary method of the nationwide tracking service that will be offered to all the Norwegian salmon farmers.
The Bergen-based company Blue Analytics has built up a new laboratory to perform gene analysis on salmon. The method for DNA tracking is based on a basic technology that is already used for various beneficial purposes in the society. DNA analysis has achieved a high degree of credibility and general acceptance both in the legal system and in the community in general. Read more about tracking here.
“We look forward to delivering high-quality DNA analysis to clarify the affiliation of farmed salmon that have gone astray. We are well prepared with modern facilities and high expertise to purify and genotype DNA for this purpose.”
Celeste Jacq, Head of Geonomics at Blue Analytics
Blue Analytics will deliver standardized sampling packages and perform isolation and genotyping of DNA from salmon in suspected escape incidents. Data from the analysis are transferred to Sporbarhet, which is responsible for the final tracking back to parent fish and egg batchers. In many cases, the primary tracking will provide sufficient information to trace the escaped fish back to the facility. In case of doubt, Sporbarhet will use elemental analysis of fish shells to distinguish between farms that have received eggs from the same parent fish.
“Industry players and authorities have a common goal that all escaped farmed salmon should be traced back to the owner. With the established tracking systems, the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries will have access to quality assured data from Sporbarhet documenting the origin of reported escape incidents.”
Helge Klungland, General Manager at Sporbarhet