In fish farming where you find fish in large concentrations you will get problems with disease. To deal with disease outbreaks, a number of measures such as various medications are used. Farmers use pharmaceuticals to treat bacterial diseases, sea lice and other parasites. The following table summarizes the type of medication and amount used per year.
| 1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Antibacterial agents |
1044 | 556 | 671 | 591 | 685 | 645 | 1219 | 805 | 1159 | 1215 | 1428 | 649 |
| Anesthesia agents |
593 | 781 | 689 | 524 | 864 | 944 | 1328 | 1201 | 1240 | 1360 | 1623 | 1914 |
| Endo- and ectoparasites |
1904 | 2507 | 2119 | 732 | 800 | 648 | 669 | 759 | 854 | 678 | 797 | 721 |
| Total | 3541 | 3843 | 3479 | 1847 | 2349 | 2237 | 3216 | 2764 | 3252 | 3253 | 3848 | 3284 |
Source: The Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Antibacterials (per kg active ingredient)
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Florfenicol |
109 | 205 | 154 | 111 | 202 | 302 | 139 |
| Flumequin |
7 | 5 | 60 | 4 | 28 | 7 | 18 |
| Lincomycin/ Spectinomycin (1:2) |
– | – | – | – | – | 50 | 67 |
| Oxytetracycline |
12 | 11 | 45 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 19 |
| Oxolinic acid |
517 | 998 | 546 | 1035 | 977 | 1119 | 406 |
| Total |
645 | 1219 | 805 | 1159 | 1215 | 1478 | 649 |
Anaesthetics (per kg active ingredient)
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Benzocaine* |
500 | 500 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | 700 |
| Chlorbutanol |
1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Metacaine |
440 | 827 | 699 | 737 | 960 | 1216 | 1214 |
| Isoeugenol** |
3 | 1 | 1,5 | 2,5 | – | 6,5 | 0 |
*calculated sales for fish breeding. Benzocaine is also used in human medicine.
**Isoeugenol is only used for research.
Sea lice treatment (per kg active ingredient)
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Cypermethrin |
69 | 62 | 59 | 55 | 45 | 49 | 30 |
| Deltamethrin |
19 | 23 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 23 | 29 |
| Teflubenzuron |
28 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Emamectin |
12 | 20 | 23 | 32 | 39 | 60 | 73 |
| Total |
128 | 105 | 98 | 104 | 100 | 132 | 132 |
Anthelmintics (per kg active ingredient)
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Fenbenadazole |
21 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 78 | 27 | 1 |
| Praziquantel |
100 | 152 | 232 | 412 | 122 | 145 | 94 |
| Total |
121 | 160 | 234 | 435 | 200 | 172 | 95 |
Fungicides (kg active substance)
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
| Bronopol |
392 | 396 | 422 | 314 | 377 | 492 | 493 |
| Malachite green |
7 | 8 | 4,5* | 0,7* | 0,9* | 0,9* | 0,8* |
| Total |
399 | 404 | 427 | 315 | 378 | 493 | 494 |
*Has not been used in production of fish for human consumption.