Salmon farming in Norway –

Controversies, challenges and regulatory responses

Ann-Magnhild Solås Researcher, Nofima, Norway

Visiting PDF, IRES, UBC

MAAFCA meeting, November 2nd 2017

© Frank Gregersen, Nofima

Outline

• Development of Norwegian salmon farming

• Governance system - overview

• Controversies and challenges

• Regulatory response and latest developments

https://cdn-c.ndla.no/sites/default/files/images/sildefiske_utenfor_morekysten_img_6544_m_logo.fullbredde.jpg

A maritime country

Development of the Norwegian salmon production

Figure: Otto Andreassen, Directorate of Fisheries

Rapid growth over the last 30 years

Crisis in 1990 and 2002

Huge ambitions:

- 2.7 mill. tons in 2025

- 5 mill. tons in 2050

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Two systems for doing aquaculture

• Getting a license: Apply or buy

• Getting the right to farm salmon and trout

• Regulated by maximum allowed biomass (MAB)

780 or 945 MAB

• The Ministry of Trade, industry and fisheries

responsible

• Getting a location:

• Seek the best place

• Municipal coastal zone plans important

• Dependent on where they have allocated

A-areas (or multi-use areas)

• Industry strictly regulated by several

ministries and directorates

• County authorities coordinate the process Figure: Otto Andreassen, Directorate of Fisheries

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M. of

Transportation M. of Food and

Agriculture

M. of Trade

and Fisheries

M. of Climate

and Environment M. of Oil

and Energy

M. of Municipalities

and Modernisation

D. of

Fisheries Environment

Agency

Food Safety

Authority

Coastal

Administration

Regional

offices

Regional

offices

Municipalities

County

Councils

County

Governors

Regional

offices

WRED

Regional

offices

Harbour and Fairways Act Food Act

Animal Welfare Act

Aquaculture Act Planning and

Building Act Pollution Act,

Biodiversity Act,

Recreational

Activities Act

Water Resource Act

The role of the Sami Parliament

• No official role in production or site licencing, but…

• Right to object to spatial plans on questions concerning sami culture,

commerce and social life.

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«Sámediggi» © Illustratedjc, Wikimedia Commons

Section 3-1. Planning functions and considerations pursuant to this Act

Within the framework of section 1-1, plans pursuant to this Act shall:

(c) protect the natural basis for Sami culture, economic activity and social life

Planning and Building Act 2008

A battle for space?

Tromsø havpadleklubb

Forsvarets mediesenter

• Starting point: 2500 km of coastline (101,000km if all fjords and islands are included) and only 5 million people

• Conclusion: there should be more than sufficient space for all activities

But:

• Rapid expansion in all coast related sectors and industries

• All areas not equally valuable (the need for ”super localities” in aquaculture)

Debates on impacts of aquaculture

04.04.2018 Foredrag

Mattilsynet

Wild salmon and trout: • Escapes – genetic interactions,

• Sea lice

• Disease transfer

Marine fish: • Interference with spawning?

• ‘Pellet saithe’

Local communities: • Revenues, employment, rights to sea space?

Major challenges:

Impacts on wild salmon

– Escapes

– Sea lice

Available seaspace

– Competing interests

– Reluctant municipalities

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Threats to wild salmon. Forseth et al 2017

Regulatory responses

Six important initiatives:

• NYTEK – Norwegian Standard

• National salmon rivers and fjords

• Green licenses

• A new growth regime

• Development licenses

• Free onshore (land-based) licences

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NYTEK – Technical requirements for fish farms

• Planned since mid-1980s, with

the purpose of preventing

escapes

• Technical requirements to

dimensioning, design,

installation and operation of

floating fish farms

• Regulation in force in 2004 –

but a six year transition period

• Revised in 2011

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National salmon rivers and salmon fjords

• 52 rivers – No new activities that can harm

wild salmon (e.g. hydropower)

• 29 fjords – No new salmon farms

– Existing salmon farms subject to

stricter regulations regarding

escapes, sea lice and disease

regulation

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Green licences (2013)

• Stricter requirements for sea lice (0,25 or 0,1 vs. 0,5 sea lice per fish)

• Reduced escapes

• Industry responses: – Lice skirts

– Cleaner fish

– Mechanical lice treatments

– Sterile fish (triploids)

– Larger post-smolt

– Parts of the production in closed

containment systems

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Hersoug 2015

The new growth regime – ‘traffic lights’

• Need for a stable framework for growth

• No production growth in Norway since 2012!

• In force from October 15th 2017

• Based on the environmental conditions in 13

different production zones along the coast

• So far, one indicator: sea lice

• MAB to be regulated (or stable) +/- 6% every

second year

• Heavily disputed by industry organisations

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Ministry of Trade and Fisheries, Oct 31st

Development licenses (2015-2017)

• Developing new technologies to reduce

environmental footprint

• So far 62 applications, 5 granted

• Closed systems in the fjords or open pens further

offshore

• Involves heavy investments (200-900 mill NOK)

• Therefore applying for many licenses (3-46)

• Licenses for free, but 10 mill NOK if successful

after 15 years (converts to a regular license)

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Landbased systems

• Licenses for free

• A few granted, several pending

• Economic viability?

• Pumping costs and problems

of getting rid of offal

• Larger smolt (up to 2 kg on

land) a more realistic scenario

• New facilities for larger smolt

built and planned along the

entire coast

Canada 2017

Bulandet Miljøfisk AS

Troubled waters: Legitimacy

• Norway has less troubles than Canada,

Scotland and Chile

• The industry has lower rating than the

product (salmon), and public approval is

declining

• Facts are not sufficient!

• «Metaphores and retorics trump facts in

most public debates regarding salmon

farming»

Canada 2017

Transparency

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Directorate of Fisheries

Barentswatch.no

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Locality level reporting:

Pilot project: Information portal (in progress)

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Project group: Nofima

SINTEF Ocean

BarentsWatch

Escapes

Employment

Questions? Kine.karlsen@nofima.no

Funded by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF)

Summary • Highly succesful industry, but…

• Legitimacy is a concern (increasing transparency?)

• Heavy technological investments

• Diversification of practices

• Sustainability = environmental sustainability

• Complex governance system, time-consuming spatial planning

• The municipalities hold the key to coastal area access

• Need to increase benefits for coastal peoples

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Thank you for listening

Contact:

ann-magnhild.solas@nofima.no

Phone: (604) 537-6217

References • Forseth, T. et al. (2017) The major threats to Atlantic salmon in

Norway. ICES J Mar Sci

• Hersoug, B. (2015): The greening of Norwegian salmon production.

Maritime Studies 14

• Osmundsen, T & Schei, M.O. (2017): The imperishable controversy

over aquaculture. Marine Policy 76

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Photo: Lidunn Boge, Nofima