SALMON farmers are seeking compensation after slaughtering stock when a killer disease was confirmed at fish farms in two areas of the west coast.

The young fish which have been struck by infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) are being slaughtered and taken to Norway by tanker for disposal.

The disease has been present in Norway since 1984 but it was discovered at Hydro Seafood GSP's farms in Loch Nevis and Marine Harvest McConnell's sites in Loch Snizort in Skye several weeks ago, the first time it has appeared in Scotland.

The Government has placed restriction orders on more than 70 farms within 40 kilometres of the affected areas, which means that fish cannot be moved from them.

The dead fish and those slaughtered because of infection will be removed by tanker using the same methods to remove and slaughter salmon affected by the oil from the Braer disaster. The sites will be disinfected and left fallow for a period under the supervision of Government fish inspectors.

The source of the outbreak still remains a mystery. Possible sources being investigated include cross-infection from wild fish and the wellboats used to transport young salmon to sea cages. It is understood that around #2m of young salmon has been affected, but if fish had grown to marketable size of four to five kilograms, their market value would have been in the region of #16m.