Fish rots alive - Worry about mysterious salmon disease in Norway

A mysterious salmon disease discovered in the Norwegian Enningdalsälven, on the border with Tanum municipality in Västra Götaland, is causing concern. The disease, Red Skin Disease, manifests itself as skin bleeding, fungus, and sores on the fish’s belly, causing the salmon to rot alive.

The disease appeared for the first time in Enningdalsälven in 2019 and the reason why the salmon become ill is unknown. Norwegian authorities are now worried that the salmon disease will spread to other waterways, reports NRK.

We have not received any reports about the disease from the Swedish side, says state veterinarian Charlotte Axén at the Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt, SVA, to Sweden’s Radio P4 Väst.

She urges private individuals to report discoveries of sick salmon to SVA’s monitoring program.

The catchment area of the Enningdalsälven affects, among others, the municipalities of Tanum, Munkedal, Dals-Ed and Strömstad.