- The facility has been tested and documented free from ISAV HPR-deleted, SAV, IHNV, VHSV, IPNV, PMCV, PRV, BKD, Yersinia ruckeri, Piscirickettsia salmonis, and Gyrodactylus salaris
- Internationally, it is among a very small number of facilities with documented freedom from listed diseases and full biosecurity control throughout the entire production cycle
AquaGen Profunda in Barstadvik reported that has now been officially certified by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) with both WOAH (World Organization for Animal Health) status and EU approval for export. This makes AquaGen Profunda the only facility in Norway to achieve this level of certification. Internationally, it is among a very small number of facilities with documented freedom from listed diseases and full biosecurity control throughout the entire production cycle. The certification marks a major milestone for safe, export-ready genetics from land-based salmon production.
According to Knut Røflo, CEO of AquaGen: “This is a long-awaited certification for us, and a significant milestone for everyone investing in land-based salmon production worldwide. With this approval, AquaGen strengthens its position as a future global supplier of salmon eggs. Norwegian AquaGen eggs now have the potential to become a key resource in salmon farming globally. The certificate confirms both the quality and the biosecurity of AquaGen Profunda, and provides a solid foundation for further international growth and collaboration.”
The company is Norway’s only land-based, full-cycle broodstock and egg production facility, with a closed population and year-round production of eggs and milt. The facility features exceptionally high biosecurity, an independent water supply, and full control of all biological and technical parameters – making it unique in an international context.
Classified as an Isolated and Disease-Free Compartment
The official declaration, issued by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, confirms that AquaGen Profunda meets the requirements to be classified as an isolated and disease-free compartment. The facility has been tested and documented free from the following serious pathogens: ISAV HPR-deleted, SAV, IHNV, VHSV, IPNV, PMCV, PRV, BKD, Yersinia ruckeri, Piscirickettsia salmonis, and Gyrodactylus salaris.
The certification is based on extensive sampling and documentation, carried out primarily by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority with support from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, which serves as one of WOAH’s European Collaborating Centers for Epidemiology and Risk Assessment.
The certification requires annual renewal, which comes with clear responsibility. For AquaGen, maintaining this high level of biosecurity is essential – not only to meet regulatory requirements, but because safeguarding fish health is at the core of everything we do. “We will continue our systematic work with documentation, monitoring, and transparency to deliver safe and robust genetics to the global aquaculture industry,” they said.
The Most Refined Genetic Material for Atlantic Salmon and Rainbow Trout
As they say, AquaGen is a genetic selection company that develops, produces and delivers genetic material to the sea farming industry. Through its research and development-oriented market, Aqua Gen has achieved a leading position as a supplier of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout eggs.
The company owns and maintains the most refined genetic material for Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. Since the 1970s, when the collection of these species began, continuous research and development programs have been developed in cooperation with commercial operators and research institutions. By focusing on genetic issues related to health, animal welfare, growth and quality, Aqua Gen is an important component of the sustainable/profitable aquaculture industry.
AquaGen carries out development and research projects independently and also in cooperation with national and international institutions. The objective of the R&D area is to generate and implement new discoveries and technologies in the areas of production and health. Selective production based on AquaGen families constitutes unique and interesting material for research on farmed salmon in Norway and is therefore a national resource that benefits aquaculture in various fields.
