Investigation launched into whale waste impact on salmon farming in Norway and Scotland

It is crucial to investigate whale waste to determine its impact on salmon farming, says Amanda Vang, a department manager at Firum, who is leading efforts to assess the extent of this influence.

In Norway and Scotland, the aquaculture industry faces challenges due to small whale waste.

When sea temperatures rise, whale waste becomes prevalent, creating significant issues for farmed fish, which cannot escape the problem. The waste can cause painful burns on fish skin, leading to distress among the aquatic life.

The primary concern is understanding whether the same issue with whale waste could arise in the Faroe Islands, as it has in Norway.

New methods are being employed to analyze DNA from local whale waste to determine if the species involved is the same as those causing difficulties in the Norwegian aquaculture sector.