– We are not always able to see the aquaculture industry as part of the food system, says Joakim Hauge, Global Head of Science and Strategy at the Bellona Environmental Foundation. He also emphasizes that it is important to reduce the environmental footprint through a focus on new feed raw materials and the utilization of raw materials that are currently wasted from the fishing industry. Hauge also highlights the importance of the focus on new and low-trophic species in Norwegian aquaculture.

Together with Ragnar Tveterås, Dag Sletmo and Eivind Helland, he talks about the importance of the aquaculture industry, and the importance of future-proofing the Norwegian aquaculture sector in order to succeed in the green shift. 

Hilde Skarra from the Norwegian Environment Agency presents the results of the nationwide inspection campaign in 2024, in which 25% of the country's land-based fish farming facilities were inspected. A full 88% of the facilities had deviations in one or more main areas – especially in emissions and internal control. Skarra points to large variations in the industry, and emphasizes that three out of four facilities do not have good enough emission control. She also elaborates on what measures the industry itself can take to meet the requirements.

A relatively radical aquaculture report sparked strong reactions when it was presented earlier this year. Now the Storting has come together to reach a cross-party agreement that will set the direction for the industry going forward. In this Bluetalk video, we meet Professor Ragnar Tveterås, Senior Advisor Dag Slettemo and Eivind Helland in an insightful conversation about the consequences the report will have – for the aquaculture industry, society and future framework conditions. They share their reactions, assess the political compromise and point out both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the industry.

Are we moving beyond the tragedy of the commons by having one company operate all locations in a PO? Bård Misund addresses the issues and discusses partnership models and innovation culture. Misund points out that there is a need for innovation in many dimensions, not only within technology, but also how to best manage a common resource.

During the Stiim Aqua Cluster webinar, Professor Ragnar Tveterås from the University of Stavanger gave a socio-economic assessment of the government's new aquaculture report. He described the backdrop of high mortality, a large proportion of production fish and that most production zones are yellow or red, which has led to stagnation in production since 2021. Tveterås describes the aquaculture report as a sketch with a large range of outcomes, and that it is crucial to quantify the economic consequences of the proposals. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration and a "steel look" on the overall sustainability goals. He further described how a possible lice quota would work, and estimated the costs of various lice quota requirements, which could involve large investments for aquaculture companies.

During the Stiim Aqua Cluster webinar, Martin H. Bryde, partner at Wikborg Rein and an expert in aquaculture law, provided a legal overview of the government's new aquaculture report. He highlighted that the proposals could have significant consequences for the valuation of aquaculture companies, reduce the utilization of licenses and create increased uncertainty about future production capacity. Bryde also pointed out that many of the measures will require thorough studies, which could take between 3 and 7 years. He expressed satisfaction that the report recognizes the weaknesses of the existing traffic light system and proposes a more individual approach to regulating the aquaculture industry. Through a matrix, he presented which proposals could be positive and which could pose challenges for the industry.

State Secretary Even Tronstad Sagebakken from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries recently presented the government's new aquaculture report, "Future aquaculture - sustainable growth and food for the world", during a webinar organized by Stiim Aqua Cluster. The report introduces a new management system that will make it more profitable to operate with low environmental impact and good animal welfare. Among the main measures are the introduction of tradable quotas for the release of salmon lice larvae and the removal of quantity restrictions in aquaculture permits, which gives operators greater flexibility and incentives for sustainable operations.