Norway: Fish farming's indirect impacts pose greater risks than direct viral transmission to wild populations, research finds

Recent Norwegian studies have shown that the indirect effects of fish farming on wild populations, particularly regarding behavioral and environmental changes, are more concerning than the direct transmission of viruses or bacteria.An annual study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research found minimal viral and bacterial transmission between farmed fish and post-smolt wild salmon and sea trout, while a different study by the same institution found farmed fish may be impacting the behavior of wild cod.“To ensure sustainability along the coast, the environmental impact from farming must be minimized, and we need solid knowledge about how aquaculture can affect the wild fish stocks along the coast,” Marine Researcher Thomas Bøhn, a co-author of the latter study, said.For the first study, researchers analyzed wild salmon and sea trout for four viruses commonly found in farmed fish, as well as the bacterium Renibacterium salmoniraum, as a part of an annual monitoring ...