The farm became part of SalMar in 2022 when the company merged with Norway Royal Salmon
Arctic Offshore Farming, which is part of SalMar Ocean, was granted a permit for the Fellesholmen site in 2018, but Mattilsynet has cancelled it after concerns over violations of regulations related to fish welfare, animal health and biosecurity according to Kyst.no.
“The construction of the facility and its exposed location have made the facility inaccessible for up to three months. Necessary handling of fish, delousing and slaughtering have not been possible,” it announced on Thursday evening.
The farm’s operators have also previously been criticised for an escape incident at on 19 November 2024, when rips were found in a pen's inner and outer nets.
Mattilsynet believes that the company has not been able to provide sufficient guarantees that the serious deficiencies related to operations and emergency preparedness will be rectified. It also believes that proposed system improvements will not be sufficient, although SalMar has the right to appeal the decision.
Arctic Offshore Farming's Fellesholmen operation is one of SalMar’s two semi-offshore farming sites – the other being Ocean Farm 1 in central Norway. The units delivered a combined harvest volume of 1,200 tonnes in each of the first two quarters of the year, with SalMar reporting a low average weight at the Arctic Offshore site, while Ocean Farm 1 was said to have delivered good biological results.