Abstract

Aeromonas salmonicida was studied at fish farms producing salmonid smolts in northern and central Finland from 1982 onwards. Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida has been causing epizootics in salmon, Salmo salar L., and trout, S. trutta L., at two coastal farms in northern Finland since 1986, involving 1-29% mortality in the fish-rearing units affected. The disease causes more serious losses of sea trout yearlings and brood fish than of salmon. The achromogenic atypical A. salmonicida proved to be the most common bacterial disease in brown and sea trout at one farm in northern Finland throughout the period, causing constant heavy losses, mainly of fingerlings, especially in 1982-1986. It was found only occasionally in central Finland. Pigment-producing atypical A. salmonicida caused mortality among brown trout at one farm in northern Finland and one in central Finland.