salmon farming in norway controversies, challenges and … · • getting the right to farm salmon...
TRANSCRIPT
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
10
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
12
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
13
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
14
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
15
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
20
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? [email protected]
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:
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