The Salmon smolts that came from two farms, Islandsbleikja in Grindavik and Islandslax in Nupar in Olfus, were about one year old and average weight was 100gr. The operation started in Þorlakshofn where a truck brought the smolts to the harbor where they were floated onboard the ship Romaster from Norway. The ship then sailed to Grindavik where more smolts were pumped through a pipe all the way out to the ship, about 400 meters off shore. This part of the transfer took about 24 hours. The Romaster is the largest of its kind, especially equipped to carry live fish and this operation is the largest ever executed both in regard to distance and quantity. The whole operation was of course closely watched by Jon Kjartan Jonsson, Manager of Islandsbleikja. “I cannot deny this was a stressful week, the risk was substantial and very important that everything would add up. Transporting live smolts is a very delicate operation and nothing must go wrong, especially with this large quantity and long distance” said Jon Kjartan. The smolts were pumped from the ship as soon as ashore in Kirkenes and are now in their new home in Norway were they will be bred for another year before ending on the plate of a European, as a Norwegian farmed Salmon, originated from Iceland.
