Grieg-owned Ocean Quality was notified Thursday by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that it will be subpoenaed in relation to a new criminal investigation involving allegations of possible collusion between Norwegian producers of farmed Atlantic salmon and class action complaints in the United States related to the issue.

Norwegian salmon farmers Mowi and SalMar on Thursday were also notified they would be subpoenaed in the case.

"We will cooperate with the authorities as best we can in both the US and Europe," Grieg CEO Andreas Kvame told IntraFish.

The US case is related to a similar investigation announced last year by the European Commission concerning possible collusion between Norwegian producers of farmed salmon. That investigation is still ongoing.

In April, US seafood company Euclid Fish Company filed a class action lawsuit against multiple salmon farming companies, alleging price fixing in the US market. Among the defendants in the suit are Mowi, Leroy Seafood Group, Grieg Seafood, SalMar, Bremnes Seashore and several associated companies.

Earlier this month, Ocean Quality CEO Espen Engevik stepped down from his position for personal reasons, the company announced.

The company is in the process of finding a new CEO, but in the meantime appointed current controller Hans Petter Berge as acting general manager.

Engelvik has been with the company for the past eight years, starting as a supply chain manager before being appointed CEO in January 2018.

Ocean Quality is jointly owned by Norwegian salmon farmers Grieg Seafood and Bremnes Seashore. The company sells its salmon products in Norway, Shetland, and Canada.

Aquaculture

Grieg-owned Ocean Quality, SalMar subpoenaed in DOJ investigation into Norwegian salmon price collusion