In the first three weeks of June, the sales of salmon feed dropped by more than 10 per cent compared with the same period last year. Figures from April and May show the same trend. For trout, the decline has been larger.

Figures from Akvafakta show that the total feed consumption so far in 2015 is only down by 1% compared to the same period 2014. However, in the spring and summer months the difference has been more noticeable.

\"Figures from the previous months show that in April, and even more so in May, had a lower growth than preceding years. When biomass is approximately the same, it is natural that we get a reduction in feed consumption,\" director of aquaculture in Seafood Norway, Jon Arne Grøttum, told Norsk Fiskeoppdrett / kyst.no. He adds that they do not have sufficient evidence to say anything certain about this trend.

\"We see that the average sea temperature has been slightly lower in 2015 compared to 2014,\" says Grøttum, stating that Seafood Norway will soon go through the statistics for June, and will then know more about the production trend.

Many causes

\"We saw that there was a slightly lower feed consumption in early summer this year, but beyond that we have not seen any significant decrease in consumption. We have primarily an overview of what we\'re selling, and limited knowledge of total sales for feed,\" EWOS\' Marketing Director, Endre Sætre, told Norsk Fiskeoppdrett / kyst.no.

He adds that variations in feed consumption may have complex explanations.
\"It\'s all about biology and it may be related to differences in temperature or lice treatments,\" he says.

Source: Gustav-Erik Blaalid, FishFarmingXpert.