WellFish Tech Received Approval From the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for Its Non-Lethal Salmon Blood Sampling

Two studies demonstrated that the procedure does not compromise fish survival, growth, or welfare when executed by trained personnel using their standardized protocol

WellFish Tech, a biotechnology company based in Paisley, Scotland, has obtained regulatory clearance from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) for a non-lethal blood sampling method used on Atlantic salmon in aquaculture. According to the firm, this is the first instance in which Mattilsynet has approved such a non-lethal sampling technique, ending a restriction that had been in place for multiple years.

The company completed the required protocol revision the last May 4. The updated standard operating procedure is now the governing document for all non-lethal food sampling activity carried out under the WellFish Tech service.

“We are proud of the rigorous work that underpins this approval. This has been a collaborative effort with the scientific community and regulators, with one goal: better fish health. Having a non-lethal diagnostic method formally recognized in Norway is a meaningful step for the industry,” said Charlie Granfelt, CEO of WellFish Tech.

After the news broke, they thanked to Magnus Blø, Randi Fivelstad, Hilde R. Storhaug, “and the wider team who put in the work to get this over the line, and to Mattilsynet for a rigorous and thorough process”.

Temperatures Between 5 and 8 Degrees Celsius

The company stated that the approval followed field and laboratory trials designed to provide the animal welfare evidence required by the regulatory body. Trials conducted in Spring 2025 evaluated the method’s effect on fish in water temperatures between 5 and 8 degrees Celsius, conditions described by the company as among the most challenging for welfare and wound recovery.

A separate controlled warm-water trial carried out at AquaBioTech Group‘s facility in Malta supplied complementary data for higher temperatures. Both studies demonstrated that the procedure does not compromise fish survival, growth, or welfare when executed by trained personnel using WellFish Tech‘s standardized protocol.

Performed Under the Professional Authorized Fish Health Personnel

The development of the company becomes the first method of its kind to meet Norway’s welfare documentation requirements. The approval removes a prohibition that had been in place for several years and allows fish health personnel to collect diagnostic blood samples from live salmon and return the fish to the production environment.

WellFish Tech has created a tool that uses blood samples to deliver a range of data for salmon farmers, including mortality forecasting for the upcoming seven, fourteen, and twenty-eight days, along with other predictive insights. The non-lethal sampling method allows farmers to return the fish to the production environment, unlike current procedures that require the fish to be euthanized.

The clearance applies specifically to Atlantic salmon weighing over 500 grams. It permits a maximum sample volume of 1 milliliter per fish and mandates a minimum interval of fourteen days between repeated samples from the same individual. The company noted that the method must be performed under the professional responsibility of authorized fish health personnel.

Hidden Information

According to Wellfish Tech, their services give back to the customers time and add previously hidden information through analysis of biomarkers, just like in human blood work. By revealing the inner workings of fish not on a sporadic, but routine basis, a holistic and continued picture of the health condition of your fish emerges. “This gives your team time to plan crucial production decisions according to the condition of the fish, making sure to minimize losses and maximize resource efficiency,” they assure.

“Analysis provided by WellFish Tech is proving to be a valuable salmon health management tool by providing early warning and insights into which vital functions are affected and how fish may be supported, as well as measurements of prognosis, making a significant contribution to our fish health strategy and influencing management decisions,” commented Dave Cockerill, Director of Biology, Bakkafrost Scotland.