Look no further than to Norway’s New Strategy ! It’s
Siting Strategy on Farming combined with a State-of-the-art Technology is per 2020 a truly challenging quest for Success ! Norway is a nation that a lot of influential Alaskans see as a leader in the way to get things done in the far north. May many nations also achieve a potential Global win-win situation on coexistence of wild plus farmed salmon ?

Open-ocean fish farms have been touted as one path to greening a business sometimes blamed for polluting protected bays and coves with fish waste. Paying due respect to this issue on in-shore pollution considerations and claims, Norway is primed to solve the challenging siting issue in a major way as regards farming, with a move to Norway’s open ocean as underlined for the strategic initiative by amongst others Mowi Asa.

In addition per 2020, as always before Modern technology is key, and Norway has been at the forefront of technological innovation since the North Sea oil in 1971. Norway is today also kind of the NASA of oceans management and is per 2020 taking what it learned on that plus on the North Sea technology boost, and Norway is thus pro-actively using all this modern oceans management to forcefully propel and accelerate it’s commercial industry on aquaculture and Seafood. Today All of Norway’s advanced offshore oil-and-gas tech is fueling aquaculture tech.

2019 : Norway, ranked as one of the best countries for green living, will further develop the aquaculture industry to churn its economy, sustain the environment and feed the world, the country’s prime minister Erna Solberg said. Norway has also put into action a High-level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy, chaired by Erna Solberg. This panel is made up of heads of state and government from a broad range of coastal states, including developing countries. Solberg said her country needs to develop an aquaculture industry that can deliver food and economic values within an acceptable footprint. “I want to share Norway’s experience of combining conservation and use of marine resources. Norway has considerable expertise on ocean issues, which means that we can make an important contribution in this area. Our expertise is in demand internationally.”

2019 Law changes in Canada and USA influence and impact new 2019-2020 Norway workprocedures organisational structure permits licences penalties permit withdrawals regulations and even new laws, as well as vice versa !! See fact-based details on Canada US impacts in related themes on this page!

The Newfoundland and Labrador's minister of fisheries Mr Gerry Byrne referred to that the world aquaculture leader Norway recently approved licences for 20,000 tonnes of sea-based salmon farming. Byrne said 95,000 tonnes of farmed Atlantic salmon is produced in B.C., while just 25,000 tonnes is produced in Newfoundland and Labrador. In October 2019 Mr Gerry Byrne, the Newfoundland and Labrador's minister of fisheries is extending an invitation to aquaculture companies feeling squeezed in British Columbia. Look east, says Gerry Byrne. «Newfoundland and Labrador is a place where much of that salmon production should consider to locate," Byrne told CBC News. Byrne also stated ; «If a company were to want to establish further operations here … we suspect that we in Newfoundland and Labrador have become a very attractive climate for investment." Byrne said Canada’s federal government has signalled its support for the farming industry by partnering with major projects like the $250-million Grieg NL development in Placentia Bay, which will include the largest fish hatchery in the world, and a system of sea cages. Byrne said he's not opposed to land-based fish farming. Byrne also stated this ;
"[But] we're reflecting the reality that it is not a proven commercial technology as of yet," he said. "The technology, the science behind it, is not there from a commercial perspective." Byrne was reacting to a campaign promise by his federal Liberal cousins to phase out sea-based open-net pen salmon farming in coastal B.C. waters by 2025. The Liberals want to transition the West Coast industry to land-based closed-containment systems !!

2019 : Norway’s four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes

Norway’s industry association Sjømatbedriftene, with its CEO Robert Eriksson, has early October 2019 established four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes, which have been presented to the Minister for Seafood and Fisheries, Harald Tom Nesvik. In this way Norway’s farmers can be secured improvements in planning and correct work procedures in one’s organisation.

1. Establish clear competency requirements
2. Enforce greater responsibility on the farming companies to recapture escaped fish
3. Stop the permit granting (Licence or Concession) for farming companies that has incurred repeated fish escapes during the last two years
4. Mandatory enforcement of reduction in production (volumes) for farming companies that conciously evades to file a report on fish escapes.

2019 Kongsberg states that offshore fish farming is a paradigm shift !

Norway’s Kongsberg Group has labeled the latest in offshore fish farming a paradigm shift. Kongsberg was involved in developing some of the technology said to make the now operational high-tech ocean ranch Ocean 1 outside Middle Norway, where it is owned and operated by Norway’s another huge corporation the Salmar AS, a fully automated facility that allows 3 or 4 people to «cultivate» up to 1.5 million fish per year.

Challenges have been met and a large proportion of these are solved, using research based knowledge production,” said the prime minister Erna Solberg.
But there were challenges ahead, especially over the environment, feed production and fish welfare, she argued.
“There are conflicts associated with coastal fishing, wildlife interests, conservation interests, outdoor life and tourism that affect access to the farm areas and, not least, the acceptance of the industry’s environmental impact.
“We need to further develop an aquaculture industry that can deliver food and economic values within an acceptable footprint,” said the prime minister. “The oceans have huge potential when it comes to meeting the world’s need for resources and creating jobs and economic and social development. We will not be able to realise this potential without sustainable growth in ocean-based industries,” said Solberg.
“The growing global population means that the world needs more resources and services from the oceans, such as food, energy, medicines, minerals and transport. The intention behind this initiative is to increase international awareness of the fact that sustainable use of the oceans and the maintenance of good environmental status can lead to significant value creation, and can enable us to meet some of the world’s most vital needs in the years to come.

2019 Norwegian Salmon farmers are already approaching the objective on « Fully-automated seafood processing & distribution» which brings with it significant cost savings.

Gunnar Knapp, Professor Emeritus of Economics University of Alaska, Anchorage has written a key report titled The Future of the Seafood Industry. An excerpt from this report is presented here.
“We can’t predict – or maybe even imagine – the changes technological innovation may bring,” Knapp warned. “Self-driving smart fishing gear? Integrated algae-based open ocean aquaculture? Fully-automated seafood processing & distribution?” In particular, Norwegian Salmon farmers are already approaching the latter objective, which brings with it significant cost savings. «Aquaculture will be more able to take advantage of technology than wild fisheries,» he warned in a Power Point presentation aptly titled “The Future of the Seafood Industry.”  Farmers are likely to dictate markets going forward with two-thirds of global seafood consumption expected to be farmed fish by 2030

2019 Remember todays grand importance of MSC-certified Seafood and noteworthy the brand new established 2019 UK certification of Fishmongers, all coupled with the new importance of Sustainability Conscious Chefs and Consumers. Other central buzz words concerning Farmed fish in particular today near 2020 are these; Sustainable Salmon products, Arctic Farming (Norway Royal Salmon AS), Smart Fish Farm, note it’s dwarfing Ocean Farm 1 & 2, (Salmar AS), Ocean Farming (Salmar AS), Exposed Seawaters Farming generally speaking, plus amongst gold standard terms also here Landbased Farms (Large-Scale-Basis) !!

Applications 2019 : Norway’s Development Permits - Utviklingstillatelser - Norway’s Offshore-Inshore Regulations - Part 1 :

The realization of Development Licences

“It’s pleasing to see that the rules on development licenses are now beginning to materialize. Today November 1st 2018 was the opening shot in the building of Nordlaks’s Havfarmen, one of many projects that’ll contribute to giving Norwegian aquaculture new technology, new knowledge and a development of the rulebook. All of this is important to a continued increase in value-creation and the increased significance of the aquaculture industry for the welfare of Norway and especially for value-creation along the coast,” Norway’s Deputy Fisheries Minister, Roy Angelvik said.

Reflections on the Development Licences

We need to talk a little about offshore salmon farming. Land-based farming has long been the topic of discussion, along with the threats and potential that exist there, while offshore has to some extent slipped under the radar just lately.
This hasn’t happened intentionally. What with offshore having been granted no less than 38 Norwegian development licenses; no other branch of technology has harvested a richer haul from the ongoing innovation project of Prime Minister Solberg’s government.

In open sea & Potential for flagging out.

1. Scale is the focal point for both SalMar and Nordlaks; not forgetting Norway Royal Salmon. They are building giant steel installations. It’s costly to build for an ocean location, the structures must be dimensioned for extreme wind and wave conditions.
2. The Technological Know-How resulting from the realization of the Development Licences can next give value by easily being exported to other national markets and industries
3. Possibilities first emerge once one ventures out to open sea. In the same way, as for land-based complexes – when flagging out.

Firstly, Scale is the focal point since it is costly to build for an ocean location, the structures must be dimensioned for extreme wind and wave conditions. The greatest corporations are thus literally going underneath the bad weather problem – by enabling the submersion of the installation when storms approach. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Problems are there to be solved.

Secondly, anyone who knows the market for oil rigs, knows these rigs can also be supplied for the category “Harsh weather conditions”. Offshore fish farming is already underway several places in the world, but not to any great extent for salmon. Take for example Hawaii and Japan, where there are production sites containing tropical fish. There they are also focused on dealing with weather conditions that make North sea autumn storms sound like a mild summer breeze. Cyclones are probably the biggest risk for offshore farming in Asia.

Thirdly, if you are able to choose, and that option is available here, it is more rational to produce fish close to the markets that pay the best prices. Markets that must include air freight costs in their pricing calculations. North America, South Africa or East Asia come to mind immediately. They are all markets with suitably temperate sea temperatures and limited competition from regional fish farming operations – and not least important – they are not encumbered with license price tags in the region of EUR 20 million per piece.

Aslak Berge in SalmonBusiness furthermore states this; I’m taking for granted that the boards of directors for SalMar and Nordlaks, as with any others who are studying how to approach this problem, have not discussed exclusively the potential for semi-exposed offshore farming in the skerries at Frøya or Hadseløya. I’m certain they visualise farming taking place in open seas, and thus, also on other continents than Europe.

Flagging out and development of new production regions is something that will be difficult to impose limits on. Advances in salmon farming won’t come to a halt, even if some of the production nations may choose to no longer join in on the growth carousel. Flagging out is naturally not in Norway’s, nor Chile’s (for that matter), national interests. But this is no prestigious international championship. Capital goes where it gets its best returns. It sees only a limitless horizon.

Realization all Yes & No 2019 : Norway’s Development Permits - Utviklingstillatelser - Norway’s Offshore-Inshore Regulations - Part 2 :

Økende interesse for offshore havbruk, førte til at Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet opprettet en så kalt interdepartemental arbeidsgruppe for å legge til rette for offshore havbruk. I dag ligger de fleste oppdrettsanleggene i nærheten av land. Teknologiutviklingen i havbruksnæringen og miljøutfordringer i tradisjonelle oppdrettsområder gjør at stadig flere havbruksaktører viser interesse for havbruk lengre til havs enn det som er vanlig i dag. Utviklingstillatelsene er særtillatelser som kan tildeles prosjekter som innebærer betydelig innovasjon og betydelige investeringer. Formålet er å legge til rette for utvikling av teknologi som kan bidra til å løse en eller flere av de miljø- og arealutfordringene som akvakulturnæringen står overfor. Teknologien som blir utviklet i prosjektene skal deles slik at den kommer hele næringen til gode.
Som følge av utviklingstillatelsene som er gjennomført, ser vi at vi går lengre og lengre ut i havet. Det er omsøkt utviklingstillatelser tilsvarende nær 90 prosent av dagens totale norske lakseproduksjon – uten av det får finansanalytikere til å bli bekymret for tilbudssiden. Ifølge analytikerne så får de fleste nok avslag, og det er uansett lenge til eventuell vekst kommer. Fiskeridirektoratet sier nei til kjent, etablert teknologi, Og de kan heller ikke si ja til for like prosjekter. Flertallet av avslagene som er gitt så langt er begrunnet i at konseptene ikke oppfyller kravene til «betydelig innovasjon». Totalt kom det inn 104 ulike søknader om totalt 898 tillatelser. Flere selskaper leverte mer enn én søknad. Søknadene ble løpende behandlet. Per mai 2019 med MOWI sin søknad er altså de to siste av de 104 søknadene som kom inn ferdig behandlet av Fiskeridirektoratet. Åtte har fått beskjed om at de faller innenfor ordningen, men her pågår det fremdeles avklaringer. Elleve har fått tilsagn, mens 85 har fått avslag. Per november 2018 var det åtte Utviklingstillatelse prosjekter som fikk ja, og 57 som fikk nei !! Av søknadene som er blitt behandlet så langt, har de fleste fått avslag og/eller avkortet antall innvilgede tillatelser !!

For utviklingstillatelsene tar FiskeriDirektoratet utgangspunkt i Statistisk sentralbyrås (SSB) sin definisjon for utviklingsarbeid, som lyder slik:
«Utviklingsarbeid er systematisk virksomhet som anvender eksisterende kunnskap fra forskning eller praktisk erfaring, og som er rettet mot: å fremstille nye eller vesentlig forbedrede materiale, produkter eller innretninger».
Aktører hevder at om innovasjon hadde vært inkludert, kunne dette gitt andre utslag. Advokat Thomas Andreassen mener Fiskeridirektoratet har tolket innovasjon for snevert i sin tildeling.
I prinsippet er det fire mulige retninger å gå: Offshore, lukkede merder, på land eller dypere under vann. Av de 15 selskapene som det er avklart skal få tilsagn, er ti blant de 20 største oppdretterne i Norge. Aktører sier det kan synes å være en preferanse mot offshore og semilukkede anlegg. Så langt er det 37 tillatelser til prosjekter som sikter seg på offshore produksjon og 21 tillatelser til semilukkede anlegg.

Interessen øker for offshore havbruk, samt at regelverk og Akvakulturloven ikke er tilpasset slik drift. Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet oppretter derfor nå en interdepartemental arbeidsgruppe for å legge til rette for offshore havbruk. En ny rapport skal identifisere behov for endringer i regelverket for å legge best mulig til rette for utvikling av havbruk til havs. Den peker på eksisterende og eventuelt fremtidige utfordringer med dobbeltregulering og/eller mangler i regelverket. I rapporten vurderes blant annet hvordan areal til offshore havbruk kan settes av, hvordan tillatelser kan tildeles, hva slags type driftsregler som må på plass, regelverk knyttet til helse, miljø og sikkerhet og utviklingstillatelser.

Sustainably Salmon : Sustainably Seafood is gaining influence with consumers

Remember todays grand importance of MSC-certified Seafood and noteworthy the brand new established 2019 UK certification of Fishmongers, all coupled with the new importance of Sustainability Conscious Chefs and Consumers.

Two out of three (66 percent) consumers will pay more for sustainable products or brands who commit to sustainability, according to Jean-Jacques Vandenheede retail director at the Nielsen Company, Belgium. The research found the main driver for people buying seafood is firstly that it comes from a brand or company that is trusted. Then came health benefits, freshness, but after these the research found 45 percent of consumers want to buy from a company known for being environmentally friendly. Additionally, 43 percent want to know the product is from a company known for its commitment to social values.

"So consumers care and will pay extra for sustainability and for products and services that come from companies who are committed to positive social and environmental impact," said Vandenheede. In addition, 42 percent of global consumers want more new products in the market that are socially responsible and environmentally friendly. And companies are responding, said Vandenheede.

"Globally the number of concepts with sustainable claims tested are growing – 7 percent of all concepts tested have sustainable positioning, up 3 percent.” Brands that commit to sustainability are outperforming their counterparts who do not and are seeing 4 percent greater sales as a result.
“Consumers more than care, it’s an expectation,” Vandenheede said.

Farmed Salmon won “hands down.’‘ over Wild Salmon in a 2013 US blind taste test

After conducting a blind taste test of farmed and wild salmon in 2013, the Washington Post reported the farmed fish won “hands down.’‘ The top-rated fish product Atlantic salmon from Norway came from Costco and Trader Joe’s retail stores who identified it but did not disclose the fish suppliers.
«Salmon and other fatty fish are the main dietary source for omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower the risk of heart disease.» The Washington Post subsequently taste-tested farmed versus wild. «Read a story about salmon, and the odds are good that, somewhere, it’ll tell you that wild salmon tastes better than farmed,» the Post’s Tamar Haspel wrote. “But does it? Washington Post decided to find out in a blind tasting, and assembled a panel that included noted Washington seafood chefs and a seafood wholesaler. «The judgments were definitive, and surprising. Farmed salmon beat wild salmon, hands down.”

There are two Japanese words for the term salmon:

’sake 鮭’ and ’saamon サーモン’. For centuries, sake has been a part of the Japanese diet and it is often fried before it is consumed. Coho, chum and sockeye/red salmon are in the sake category. These species are known as Pacific salmon in Norwegian. Sake, or Pacific salmon, makes up 70% of the salmon supply to Japan.
Japan also differs from a number of other markets in the salmon category. Salmon doesn’t just consist of “salmon” in Japan – it includes (primarily) coho, chum, Atlantic salmon, trout and sockeye/red salmon.

The other category, ’saamon’, which includes Atlantic salmon and trout, has been on the Japanese market for less than three decades. These species differ from sake in that they are consumed raw, eaten fresh and are usually referred to as ’nama’ salmon.

As a general rule, sake is used in Japanese cooking, while saamon is a popular choice for sushi/sashimi or western food. In fact, many Japanese consumers aren’t really aware of the fact that there is a difference in usage.

The consumption of seafood in Japan is linked to taste and the health benefits of seafood, without eating it purely out of duty. For a number of years, the Japanese have mentioned convenience – fast and easy availability – as an increasingly important factor when choosing seafood. At the same time, we are facing a new trend in relation to the environment and sustainability, which is becoming visibly more important for the Japanese in their choice of seafood.

Mowi ranked most sustainable protein producer

Mowi is on top of the Coller FAIRR Protein Index, which ranks the world’s largest listed protein producers on sustainability. The Coller FAIRR Index ranks the largest global meat, dairy and fish producers by looking at risk factors from use of antibiotics to deforestation and labour abuses. The Index is the world’s only benchmark dedicated.

Norwegian Salmon, Safe to Consume Raw:

The Norwegian Salmon is Exempt from the freezing requirement for fish (U.S. Food Code section 3-402.11) because it is an aquaculture fish, raised in net pens in open water and fed formulated feed. Norwegian Salmon are sustainably raised and cared for under strict, nationally regulated. Sustainably farmed Norwegian Salmon delivers a clean taste and texture that comes from a slow, natural growth process and exceptional regulations to ensure safety. Norwegian ocean-farmed salmon are raised in pens in the cold, clear waters of Norway. The Norwegian Salmon is farmed by the world’s foremost and most-innovative aquaculture industry. Per 2020 all kinds of refined Seafood products are sold also retail globally, where newest examples are the Aurora salmon from North Norway and Nama Salmon and Poke Salmon and raw Salmon Sushi in ready-made portions. Note that the well-reputed «saamon» Atlantic salmon product from Norway’s farmers has been on the Japanese market a few years now, where it is consumed raw, eaten fresh and are usually referred to as «NAMA» salmon.

Alaska’s ocean-ranched free-range hatchery salmon is also marketed as «Alaska wild». Alaska is farming Chinook salmon – kings to almost everyone in Alaska – which have been recognised by world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has named New Zealand King Salmon the world’s most environmentally sustainable farmed salmon,”

A landbased salmon-raising fish farm in Wisconsin is just now going operational, namely Superior Fresh, and the COO Brandon Gottsacker states this. “We are raising the most premium salmon in the world,” «The pristine water and the absence of antibiotics or pesticides, is something today’s consumers are demanding.”

The Alaska salmon farmers, some of whom are connected to the same processors the state is helping fund, are also trying to push their product. The state of Alaska is now helping Alaska fish processors based in Washington state fund a multi-million dollar public relations and advertising campaign to sell Americans on the idea Alaska wild salmon is better than farmed salmon. The idea is to attract a premium price for Alaska wild salmon in a market where Alaska salmon have become a minority player.

2019 : British Columbia - Canada , «No way forward other than wild and farm-raised salmon co-existing»

One of the major misconceptions of the salmon farming sector is that it does not care or think about the state of wild salmon and the environment. However, science has repeatedly told us that
wild and farm-raised fish populations can co-exist in the ocean and salmon farming actually plays a crucial role in protecting wild fish by providing a sustainable alternative.

Given growing global populations, the diminishing of our ability to grow food on land for the decades to come, and the nutritional value of fish from our oceans (wild and farm-raised) there is no way forward other than wild and farm-raised salmon co-existing.

“Well, my definition of success is to get people coming to the conclusion that when they put farmed fish on their dinner table it is a healthy thing to do, and a good thing to do for preserving wild salmon. If we can get more people to feel that way then we have more opportunities to grow more partnerships — with more First Nations, with more community groups and more consumers.  It would also mean more science and more innovation can be funded to always stay on top of issues, because we do work in a natural environment and there is still so much to learn. We can do all these things if more people begin to equate our farmed salmon as essential to wild salmon conservation.”

Source :
https://seawestnews.com/opening-up-minds-about-aquaculture-in-2019%EF%BB%BF/amp/

The new Northwest Pacific Aquaculture Alliance.

A proponent of moving the aquaculture narrative from “conflict to conversation”, Fraser said the cross-border alliance can be an effective pedestal to showcase “the story of just how important and progressive this industry is.”
“Aquaculture is an important, responsible industry helping feed a hungry world while protecting wild populations from overfishing by providing a sustainably-raised alternative. Every salmon raised on a farm is one less wild salmon caught and eaten,” he said.

“The reality is the science tells us B.C.’s salmon farms are not harming populations of wild salmon, but supporting them. We need to tell that story.”

Source :
https://seawestnews.com/opening-up-minds-about-aquaculture-in-2019%EF%BB%BF/amp/

I am pleased to present the BC Salmon Farmers Association 2018 Sustainability Progress Report, the fourth annual production of this document.
Source :
http://bcsalmonfarmers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/BCSFA_2018_Sustainability-Progress-Report_WEBCOPY.pdf

Moving sustainabilty from niche to norm, by WWF

Whatever's sustainable today won’t be tomorrow and we’re dealing with issues of scale and speed people just haven’t taken into account yet, said Jason Clay, director of WWF in the USA. But sustainability is not about maximizing one thing but optimizing several things. But ultimately, sustainability in 20th century is a precompetitive issue, said Clay, an approach of working together is fundamental and “we must move sustainability from niche to norm.”

By 2050 there will be many more people consuming twice as much so we need to figure this out, said Clay. Aquaculture has surpassed wild catch already and recently surpassed beef production as well. “Every kilo of every food product that we use has to be produced with 62 percent less resources,” he said. «It is time to wake up to the fact that production of food is the biggest threat to the planet… we need to work out how to produce the same amount of food in next 40 years for next 8,000 so we need to intensify production more sustainably.»

And aquaculture is where we are going to get increased production. We can get an extra 10-20 million metric tons from improved management and 20-25 million metric tons by reducing waste in seafood. Aquaculture also has to grow more than 5 percent for next 16 years. Around 52 percent of seafood is wasted either through by-catch, inefficient processing – many different things, but essentially it is all food waste. «The focus has to be on productivity, efficiency and waste and consumption,» said Clay. Fisheries must be rebuilt through fisheries improvement projects, for example, and the industry must find ways to use fishmeal and fishoil more efficiently and produce it more sustainably. «Fishmeal and fishoil is the only limiting factor to expand aquaculture,» said Clay. And then there is climate change and numerous issues with illegality, IUU fishing for example.

Solutions #2 - Seafood industry value in World and Alaska USA and BC Canada !!!

Value of the World Seafood industry :

Salmon farmers globally today control 70 percent of the salmon market !!!

“In 1980, total world salmon supply was less than 550,000 tons, of which 98 percent was wild,” he wrote in a 2004 report. “By 2001 world supply had more than quadrupled to more than 2.2 million tons, 62 percent of which was farmed.” Salmon aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world, and Salmon farmers already control 70 percent of the salmon market, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Salmon consumption worldwide is also three times higher than it was in 1980.
The percentage of farmed salmon in the marketplace is now up over 70 percent, according to the World Wildlife Fund, and steadily growing thanks to projects like that Atlantic Sapphire in Florida.
Although salmon is very popular among Americans — as of 2015, the total supply of salmon to the U.S. was 1.8 billion pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — about 70% of the fish is farmed.

In addition for you to be fully Fact-based on also future status of the Seafood industries, kindly read more on the top scientific website https://gunnarknapp.com/ about key professional presentations at conferences by Mr Gunnar Knapp, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage, Institute of Social and Economic Research
Gunnar.Knapp@gmail.com

On the website https://gunnarknapp.com/You find these two goodreads :

Alaska Seafood Industry
“Globalization, Salmon Farming, and the Future of the Alaska Salmon Industry” Revisited.  I gave this short talk, reflecting on a presentation I had given in 2002, for the Alaska World Affairs Council on November 2, 2018.

The Future of the Seafood Industry. I gave this presentation at the 2018 meeting of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET), on July 20, 2018 in Seattle, Washington.

Value of the Alaska Seafood industry :

$5 billion annually Value - The Alaska seafood industry is producing more than $5 billion in economic activity in Alaska every year. 

“Between 1978 and 2003, the Bristol Bay sockeye harvest averaged 62,000 metric tons (mt), and ranged from a low of 26,000 mt to a high of 110,000 mt,” according to a report written by Alaska fisheries economist Gunnar Knapp, who first started warning about the farmed fish challenge to Alaska salmon more than a decade ago. Atlantic  Sapphire’s start-up production of 10,000 tons will about equal the average sockeye salmon harvest in Cook Inlet, the waterway at the doorstep of the state’s largest city.

Overall, Alaska produces more than 60% of the nation’s commercial fisheries – a vast array of seafood, including all five species of Pacific salmon, four species of crab, Pacific cod, various types of groundfish, shrimp, herring, sablefish (black cod), pollock, and Pacific halibut are all harvested from Alaska. The Alaska salmon fishery, which commercially harvests more than 160 million salmon a year per 2014, has 2014 been re-certified as meeting the Marine Stewardship Council’s environmental standard for sustainable fishing. In 2017 over 200 million salmon were caught in Alaskan waters by commercial fishers, representing $750 million in exvessel value. In 1959, statewide salmon harvests were about 25 million salmon a year. In 1999 (forty years later) Alaska's commercial salmon catch was 214 million fish, the second largest in the state's history. For 2014 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) forecasted a total harvest of 133.1 million fish, with a breakdown of 538,000 king, 33.6 million sockeye, 4.4 million coho, 19.9 million keta, and 74.7 million pink salmon.
Alaskan “farmed” salmon now outweigh “wild” by 2.5 to 1, and the blended commercial haul together makes up 14 percent of world-wild salmon supply, according to a new industry report.
Between 2011 and 2015, the last year for which good numbers exist, “salmon-farming” has grown 43 percent in parallel with record recorded wild-salmon harvests, write the McDowell Group’s authors in their report, The Economic Value of Alaska’s Seafood Industry. In that five-year span, the report holds, farmed-salmon production in America’s arctic state rose by 1.06 million tonnes.
The report also noted that the fisheries industry workforce — including fish-processing and farms — is comprised of “70 percent” non-residents. In all, about 24,000 workers become available to serve the state’s 169, largely remote, shore-based processing facilities carving out 33 percent of the first-wholesale value of all fish species produced (for salmon, this is USD1.36 billion per 2017).
The salmon harvest in Alaska is the largest in North America and represents about 80% of the total wild-caught catch, with harvests from Canada and the Pacific Northwest representing the remainder. Alaska salmon accounts for over 90 percent of all wild salmon in North America.  Like all seafood harvested in the state, Alaska salmon is always wild, natural, and sustainable. In 2017 over 200 million salmon were caught in Alaskan waters by commercial fishers, representing $750 million in exvessel value. Salmon fishing is a nearly ubiquitous activity across Alaska, however the most valuable salmon fisheries are in the Bristol Bay, Prince William Sound and Southeast regions. Commercial salmon fishing is a treasured way-of-life handed down through generations, directly employing over 38,000 hard working men and women.
Alaska seafood creates more jobs than any other private sector industry in the state, and over half of those jobs depend on salmon. The Alaska seafood industry is one of the largest employment and economic drivers in Alaska, directly employing 56,800 people, creating an additional 10,000 secondary jobs, and producing more than $5 billion in economic activity in Alaska every year. 
The fisheries of Alaska are recognized as some of the best managed in the world, providing tens of thousands of seasonal and full-time jobs and a vital, long term economic engine for Alaska communities and the state. 

Value of the BC Canada Seafood industry :

$1.5 billion annually Value – B.C. salmon farms contribute over $1.5 billion annually into B.C.’s economy and only occupy 0.05% of the entire B.C. coast.

In 2016, the salmon aquaculture industry in Canada was valued at $1 billion. Aquaculture accounts for over 33% of Canada’s total seafood VALUE, and Aquaculture represents 20 per cent of Canada's seafood production !! Salmon and other fin fish is making up almost 80 per cent of the Aquaculture output. About half of farmed fish come from British Columbia and most of the rest from the Atlantic provinces. In B.C., farm-raised salmon is responsible for about one-third of the provincial seafood harvest, over 60%of the landed value and almost half of the wholesale value of all B.C. seafood. About 70% of all salmon sold in B.C. is farm-raised. B.C.’s salmon farmers raise almost three-quarters of the salmon harvested in the province each year. Farm-raised salmon is B.C.’s highest valued seafood product, the province’s top agricultural export. B.C. salmon farming companies support hundreds of individual initiatives for education, health and well-being, indigenous peoples, arts and sports – all of the organizations and activities that provide quality of life in a community. The salmon farming industry in B.C. expands across multiple service sectors, creating over 6,600 jobs in mainly coastal communities. There are 118 marine finfish aquaculture farms and 20 land-based farms operated by the 59 member companies of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA). About 60 to 70 salmon farm tenures are active at any one time. «The aquaculture industry supports 4,900 direct, full-time jobs in this vast country, with salaries paid out to the tune of $106.2 million each year, which is 30% higher than other industries. If we want to include indirect jobs in that figure, we can add another 9,600. The aquaculture industry contributes $500 million to the BC economy alone."
Atlantic Canada has long been home to Cooke Seafoods, but is now making room for more major players including Mowi, Grieg -- and potentially Cermaq. Unsurprisingly, throughout the last several years Canada's east coast has been seeing major salmon companies set up in the area including Grieg, Mowi, and now potentially Cermaq, dubbing the area as the final frontier of possible expansion for salmon's net pen farming industry. "Almost by default Marystown in Canada will become center of aquaculture for Newfoundland and Labrador, and maybe the center of aquaculture for Canada," Mayor of Marystown Sam Synard said.

«Ocean ranched salmon» represented over 49% of the commercial catch in Alaska in 2010 (77 million out of total commercially harvested 158 million salmon was ocean ranched) - The Truth about Alaska Salmon. Ref definitions at end of this text section.

“Due to biological and environmental factors, harvest of wild seafood is inherently volatile … total odd-year harvests of Alaska pink salmon can be double or triple even-years,” the report said. In reality, however, much Alaskan wild salmon is in fact raised in nurseries before being released into rivers and the Northern Pacific. This report and others seem to suggest half of returning salmon have their origins in Alaskan hatcheries that are funded via “wild” catch.
Questions have been raised in recent years about the carrying capacity of the Pacific Ocean when it comes to supporting an increasing myriad of salmon that is being produced in hatcheries and sent to sea to be fattened up by feeding on plankton and small fish before being caught in one of many commercial fisheries. New hatcheries by the dozens are rumored to being built in Russia, and already some 1.5 billion juvenile salmon are shipped to sea from hatcheries in Alaska every year. Another annual 500 million juvenile salmon come from facilities in British Columbia.  In 2010, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported that 158 million salmon were commercially harvested. Of this, 77 million salmon were identified as ocean ranched. Therefore, in 2010, ocean ranched salmon represented over 49% of the commercial catch in Alaska.

Solutions #2 - the new US strategic initiatives on Offshore Farms and RAS Landbased Farms !!!

Solutions #2 - What is Farmed Salmon vs Ocean Ranching by definition? Ref respectively here the policies in Norway vs Alaska & Washington (NorthWestPacific) !!!

What is Salmon Farming?

Salmon aquaculture, or salmon farming as it’s often called, involves raising salmon from “egg to market”. The salmon are born and nurtured in freshwater hatcheries for one year and then sent to saltwater farm sites to continue growing. A farm is made up of a series of steel cages with nets that contain the fish. The fish remain at the saltwater farm for 18 to 24 months, until they are ready to be harvested. In BC, salmon farms are located in remote areas of the coast and only accessible by boat or plane.
Salmon farm employees typically live on-site in a float house provided by their employer. They are responsible for feeding the fish, ensuring all government and company regulations are followed, as well as equipment and facility maintenance.

Salmon farming differs from salmon ranching simply because the fish are contained throughout their entire life cycle. At no time are the fish released to compete for food in the wild.

What is Salmon Ranching?

Salmon ranching involves the release of hatchery raised salmon into the wild. Similar to salmon farming, eggs are artificially hatched and grown in a freshwater hatchery.

When ready, the young salmon are moved to saltwater net pens where they are fed food pellets. When these hatchery-raised fish reach a size large enough to allow them to compete with wild fish, they are discharged from their pens and swim freely into the ocean to compete with other fish for food – this is “ranching”.
They remain in the ocean for anywhere from two to five years, depending on what species of salmon they are, at which time they return to the area where they were held in cages during the earlier stage of their lives.

When these ranched salmon return, they are caught by both commercial fishers and sports salmon enthusiasts alike. Ranched salmon may also be referred to as “wild-caught” salmon.

SALMON RANCHING VS FARMING

What is the difference between 'ranched' and 'farmed' salmon?

Due to many reasons including over-harvest, wild salmon populations declined in the latter part of the 20th century. It was soon realized that if an ever increasing human population is going to take from the ocean, it better give back. Just like on land, we started to 'farm' the ocean.

Salmon farming and salmon ranching have the same goal - grow salmon to provide a healthy protein to the consumer. Both methods of aquaculture hatch eggs which are raised in a freshwater hatchery facility and both methods move fish from freshwater to saltwater net pens to continue growth.

Whereas salmon farmers culture their fish for its entire lifecycle, eventuallly harvesting them directly from the net pen in which they were raised; salmon ranchers release their fish from the net pens to complete growth in the open ocean. As ranched salmon instinctively remember where they were born, they will return to where they were "imprinted" to be harvested by traditional fishing boats.

Salmon farming is common in Chile, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Faroe Islands, Tasmania, New Zealand and Canada. Salmon ranching is practiced in Alaska, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Globally, salmon farms provide about 300 million fish, and salmon ranching produces about 220 million fish for human consumption each year.

What are the risks of ranching or farming salmon?
Whether salmon ranching or salmon farming, the benefits of growing salmon for human consumption are clear - providing a healthy and efficient protein without additional strain on natural, wild salmon populations. But, as with any food production, there are also risks. There are three main risks shared by both methods of salmon culture:

Salmon consume fish meal which can place additional strain on those fish lower in the food chain.
Farming and ranching produce organic waste (fish poop and processing waste) which need to be properly managed.
There is genetic risk of cultured salmon interbreeding with its wild counterpart and the potential for lowering the performance of its wild cousin.
Salmon farmers and salmon ranchers worldwide are very aware of these risks and are always looking at new ways of operating to ensure these risks are well managed.

Source :
http://www.farmfreshsalmon.org/salmon-farming-versus-salmon-ranching

First and foremost, this author sees there’s a need to point out undeniable facts encompassing the possible option to develop Land-based farms for Salmon, so please take a minute reading this before you review the facts beneath on Offshore farming options being prioritised by Norway’s industries per 2020 via the granted Development Licences. Facts on Development Licences will be translated into English writing asap, so please have patience !

Part 1 : One of 4 Farm-Options to go is the Land-based flow-through aquaculture (FTA)/Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

Firstly, read Norway’s latest facts here on the Land-based flow-through aquaculture (FTA). This latest new Farm concept is named Atlantic Sapphire at Salmon Evolution AS.

Construction of the «Atlantic Sapphire» is expected to begin later 2019 in Norway on what is pegged to become the largest land-based aquaculture facility in Europe !!

«We’ve taken the best conditions the sea provides with us to land, and have therefore chosen the flowthrough system and CO2 aeration as our concept. Alongside our unique location with access to unlimited seawater, this is the main reason why we can now pick up the pace into the next phase.» This on-land facility will eventually produce nearly 30,000 metric tons (MT) of Atlantic salmon annually.
The vision of building a facility capable of producing the maximum amount of salmon allowed under Salmon Evolution’s permit – a standing biomass of 13,300 MT and annual production of 28,800 MT of salmon – is an expensive one, and is not yet financed. Salmon Evolution Chairman Kristofer Reiten added that the company’s plan to pull water from the “deep sea” will help it prevent sea lice infestation at its new facility – sidestepping another major environmental problem facing net-pen salmon producers. «We can produce salmon with a very small environmental footprint, and keep it biologically secure,» he said. Doing that will open up new sales avenues in a market where demand already far outpaces supply, Reiten said. «There is stronger and stronger demand. Current production levels are nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to demand. Even if we were building 20 Atlantic Sapphires a year, that would not affect prices.

Producing salmon on land is about making technology choices which provide the most stable production environment possible for the fish,” he said. «Farming salmon on land is not a straightforward business, and involves to a great extent taking some technological choices which will yield the most stable possible production environment for the fish and thereby provide predictable operation.» The first stage of the project, which is scheduled for completion by 2023, according to Reiten – assuming the next share issue, occurring later 2019, brings in the required funds – will involve more complicated decisions on technology. Reiten said the new management and the ownership group’s collective experience in the seafood and ocean-related industries will give it an advantage in moving from start-up to operational over the coming years. The Norway-based Salmon Evolution AS has raised NOK 50 million (USD 5.7 million, EUR 5.1 million) to begin development of an on-land facility to be built in Harøysund, More og Romsdal, Middle Norway. The company’s managing director, Ingjarl Skarvøy, who formerly worked as a regional manager at SalMar, estimated the project is likely to cost as much as NOK 3 billion (USD 343.4 million, EUR 305.9 million). The company purchased a former quarry on the island of Indre Harøy in March 2019, a site that provides “optimal” conditions for the development of a facility equipped with flow-through technology, Salmon Evolution Chairman Kristofer Reiten said. «We have unlimited access to clean and fresh seawater, adequate electricity supplies, our own deepwater quay and opportunities for expansion and growth,» he said in a press release. “In addition, we are optimally positioned in terms of distance to market.”

«Salmon is still such a small share of the market. It’s the only health food that’s farmed and good for you. I think we need to build a lot more of these land-based farms to keep up with growth.” Reiten cited both geographic and environmental factors in predicting a promising future for land-based aquaculture. «The industry must expand, and to do that, land-based is the future. It will not be easier to find places to farm. On top of that, regulations will become harder and harder,» he said, referencing the ban the U.S. state of Washington placed on salmon net-pen aquaculture that goes into effect in 2025.

Reiten said both land-based technologies, FTA and RAS, will prove successful. «Both can and will succeed,” he said. “Right now, it seems like RAS is the only way to do things on land,
but our FTA plant
is much less complicated because we don’t need a biofilter. (!!) Salmon likes to have a lot of water, and with our site, we have the possibility to give it that."

Secondly, here are facts on Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

Replicating the ocean environment in concrete tanks will increase greenhouse gas emissions and have significant environmental consequences
By SeaWestNews

A new report led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in cooperation with research institute Sintef Ocean puts production costs for land based grow-out 42 percent higher than those in the sea.

According to Tekfish, the analysis finds that a transition from sea to land based farming in Norway requires 11,700 hectares’ vs 4,238 square kilometers at sea plus 520 million cubic meters of water for recirculating aquaculture systems. The study was based on a production of 1.3 million metric tons of fish and a production capacity of 10,000 metric tons per year per farm (130 farms). It also puts production costs in Norway at an estimated NOK 43.60 (€4.62/US$5.34) per kilo against sea farming’s estimated NOK 30.60 (€3.24/US $3.75) per kilo.

B.C. is littered with failed attempts to grow either Pacific or Atlantic salmon in land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) over the past 20 years. Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans in a 2010 study, calculated the capital cost of open-net aquaculture at $5 million, with a 52% return on investment in the third year, compared with $22.6 million for an RAS, with a return on investment of 4%. Studies also show that to move Canada’s current salmon production to land based systems would require 28,000 Canadian football fields and 4.16 billion litres of fresh water to fill the tanks.

“Raising more salmon on land to complement sustainable ocean-based farming is part of the answer but raising large numbers of fish on land hasn’t yet been accomplished anywhere in the world, and trying to make that move would have significant environmental consequences,” said John Paul Fraser, the executive director of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association.

“Replicating that natural environment in concrete tanks would require huge amounts of electricity, increasing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “We need to responsibly consider consequences like this before we latch on to a solution in search of a problem that doesn’t exist.

Our opportunity is in front of us — to raise fish off our coast — responsibly, sustainably, and in consultation and growing partnership with First Nations and other communities,” said Fraser. 

Conserve water usage

The UN predicts 5 billion people could be out of fresh water by 2050…
“To help manage competing demands for freshwater – whether to quench human thirst, water crops or produce electricity – the report recommended “working with nature, rather than against it” in a bid to make water use more efficient, cost-effective and healthier for people and the environment.” (link)

To require the estimated 4.16 billion litres to start these facilities - land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) - and subsequently remove this quantity of water from the environment is an inconceivable notion. Particularly when there are solutions that work right now and do not cause water extraction issues.

Source :
http://seawestnews.com/the-cost-of-farming-fish-on-land/amp/

Part 2 : One of 4 Farm-Options to go, in Norway as well as Globally for other nations, is the Offshore Farms designed for either socalled Exposed seawaters or Harsh rigid oceans, or in US relevance also the now much debated US Federal waters where no such fish farms exist currently (outside USA’s Inshore waters).

Introduction to Norway’s Development Permits per 2020 :

AquaStorm (AS) ved MOWI ASA er

et Farming konsept som er fullt automatisert, og alt vil overvåkes fra et kontrollsenter på land. Der vil vi ha full kontroll på hvordan fisken har det, at den får mat og at all teknologien fungerer som den skal. Mowi vil senke merdene ned i havdypet, og knytte sammen teknologi fra norsk oppdrett-, subsea- og offshorenæring.
«Dette konseptet tar i bruk både havbruksteknologi og subseateknologi for å produsere laks offshore. Fordi eier av teknologien nå er i ferd med å søke patet, kan vi dessverre ikke si mer om løsningen på dette tidspunktet», skriver selskapet i en e-post til IntraFish. Selskapet har tidligere søkt om tillatelser til konseptene Egget, Beck-Cage, Marine Donut og oppdrett i bulk-skip. MOWI er blant selskapene som har kommet med ny søknad de seneste dagene, og dets prosjekt er dessuten det største av de nye, med hele 36 tillatelser til «Aqua Storm» i Trøndelag. Mowi vil altså investere milliarder i sitt Aquastorm konsept men selskapet har per mai 2019 fått nei fra Fiskeridirektoratet til utviklingstillatelser !! Avslaget på 36 utviklingstillatelser begrunnes nok en gang med at prosjektet ikke oppfyller vilkåret om betydelig innovasjon.
«Etter Fiskeridirektoratets vurdering befinner prosjektet seg i en fase hvor det fremdeles er uavklarte konseptuelle detaljer som ikke kan låses før ytterligere analyser og studier av teknologien er gjennomført. I følge søker avhenger disse igjen av en tildeling av tillatelser», heter det i avslaget.

Arctic Offshore Farming (AOF) ved Norway Royal Salmon ASA

Arctic Offshore Farming (AOF) ved Norway Royal Salmon ASA er utviklet ved å kombinere havbruks-, offshore- og fiskeri-kompetanse. NRS og Aker Solutions har utviklet et halvt nedsenkbart offshore oppdrettsanlegg som er dimensjonert for værharde områder. Konseptet tar altså her i bruk ny teknologi som gir mulighet for en lokalisering lengre fra kysten enn dagens oppdrettsanlegg, i tillegg til å redusere det miljømessige fotavtrykket. Dette utviklede konseptet for lakseoppdrett i fjernstyrte nedsenkbare produksjonsanlegg er basert på offshore-teknologi. Den industrielle ambisjonen er å kombinere kunnskap fra oppdrettsnæringen med offshore kompetanse for å utvikle fremtidens havbruksnæring og med det sikre fremtidig bærekraftig vekst for norsk havbruksnæring. De nye havmerdene til NRS er oppe i 3000 tonn, hvor high-tech stål Merdene er hele 79 meter i diameter.

Ocean Farm (OF) og for øvrig «Smart Fish Farm» tilknyttet Mariculture, ved SalMar ASA er konseptet hvor OF-Merden er utviklet i Norge, med bakgrunn i et tverrfaglig partnerskap mellom norske aktører med verdensledende ekspertise innen havbruk, offshore og relevant forskning. Ocean Farm 1 skal brukes til å teste ut hvordan havbruk kan vokse på en bærekraftig måte, og OR-Anlegget kan utgjøre de første stegene mot en ny æra innen havbruk. Ocean Farm 1 er et fullskala pilotanlegg for testing, læring, forskning og utvikling. Det blir utrustet for forskningsoppgaver, med særlig fokus på biologiske forhold og fiskevelferd. Målet er å redusere miljøavtrykket, forbedre fiskevelferd og svare på bransjens arealutfordringer. Erfaringer og nye løsninger fra prosjektet kan utgjøre starten på en ny æra innen bærekraftig produksjon av sjømat, og kan potensielt tas i bruk over hele verden. Ocean Farm 1 er utformet for å teste ut både biologiske og teknologiske sider ved å drive fiskeoppdrett til havs. «Smart Fish Farm» Havmerd løsningen plasseres i Norskehavet utenfor Trøndelag, og den vil langt på vei kunne løse konfliktene om miljø og arealer som næringen møter i dag, og Salmar ASA har startet et arbeid for å identifisere det miljømessige beste området egnet for etableringen.

Havfarmen ved Nordlaks ASA

Med Havfarmen konseptet som den store innovasjonen skal Nordlaks flytte den siste og mest intensive delen av laksens vekstfase ut av fjordene. Nordlaks ønsker at avstanden til nærmeste lakseanlegg skal være minst 10 kilometer mot 2,5 kilometer som er Mattilsynets anbefalte minsteavstand i dag. Havfarmen skal plasseres i områder som ikke kan utnyttes til oppdrett med dagens tilgjengelige teknologi. Dette er mer eksponerte havområder med komplekse vind-, strøm- og bølgeforhold, og større dyp. Hensikten med den nye teknologien er forbedring når det gjelder miljømessige, fiskevelferdsmessige og produksjonsmessige betingelser. Hensikten med prosjektet er altså å utvikle en ny teknologi for at havbruksnæringa og selskapet skal kunne utvikle seg innenfor fiskevelferdsmessige og miljømessig forsvarlige rammer. Stikkord er nytt areal, lakselus, fiskehelse, fiskevelferd og rømming.

Aquatraz ved Midt-Norsk Havbruk AS

Aquatraz ved Midt-Norsk Havbruk er havmerd konseptet som spiller på lag med laksens adferd, hvor ny teknologi og systematisk arbeid skal ta MNH selskapet inn i en fremtid der fisken får lov til å være i fred i merden. NMH er meget motivert til å gå i gang med Aquatraz konseptet hvor vi sammen med våre samarbeidspartnere skal utvikle konseptet for å sikre en fremtidsrettet produksjon hvor vi reduserer næringens hovedutfordringer knyttet til lus samt bidra til enda bedre fiskehelse. Aquatraz-merden fungerer også uten strøm, og som de tradisjonelle merdene renner vannet rett gjennom, sa Holand.Løftesøylene løfter og presser fisken. I april 2017 fikk MNH Produksjon tilsagn om fire utviklingstillatelser til konseptet Aquatraz, en semi-lukket stålmerd. Det omhandler 4 utviklingskonsesjoner på hver 780 tonn, totalt 3120 tonn. MNH Produksjon valgte å klage på at de kun fikk fire av åtte omsøkte utviklingstillatelser for konseptet «Aquatraz». departementet har behandlet klagen per september 2018. Aquatraz skal kunne erstatte vanlige merder på eksisterende lokaliteter, og ligge side om side med dem. Aquatraz er altså et prosjekt som spinner videre på fortrinn vi har i Norge, det vises til den delvis lukkede merden til Midt Norsk Havbruk som nå er fylt med fisk. MNH-konsernet har stor tro på Aquatraz-konseptet, og dagens tildeling av konsesjoner gir unike muligheter for å videreutvikle og kommersialisere Aquatraz og styrke produksjonskapasiteten i MNH-konsernet betydelig, sier Roald Dolmen, prosjektleder for Aquatraz. Fisken kom i merden i fjor høst 2018, og i slutten av mai 2019 ble den første fisken slaktet ut. Med sin nye semilukkede stålmerd gjør Midt-Norsk Havbruk alt de kan for å redusere risikoen for rømning, og Midt-Norsk Havbruk har ikke brukt lusemidler på tre år. Aquatraz-merdene veier 500–600 tonn hver. Disse nye havmerdene er da tilsammen oppe i 3000 tonn.

Utviklingstillatelser - Norway’s Offshore-Inshore Regulations :

Økende interesse for offshore havbruk, førte til at Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet opprettet en så kalt interdepartemental arbeidsgruppe for å legge til rette for offshore havbruk. I dag ligger de fleste oppdrettsanleggene i nærheten av land. Teknologiutviklingen i havbruksnæringen og miljøutfordringer i tradisjonelle oppdrettsområder gjør at stadig flere havbruksaktører viser interesse for havbruk lengre til havs enn det som er vanlig i dag. Utviklingstillatelsene er særtillatelser som kan tildeles prosjekter som innebærer betydelig innovasjon og betydelige investeringer. Formålet er å legge til rette for utvikling av teknologi som kan bidra til å løse en eller flere av de miljø- og arealutfordringene som akvakulturnæringen står overfor. Teknologien som blir utviklet i prosjektene skal deles slik at den kommer hele næringen til gode.

Som følge av utviklingstillatelsene som er gjennomført, ser vi at vi går lengre og lengre ut i havet. Det er omsøkt utviklingstillatelser tilsvarende nær 90 prosent av dagens totale norske lakseproduksjon – uten av det får finansanalytikere til å bli bekymret for tilbudssiden. Ifølge analytikerne så får de fleste nok avslag, og det er uansett lenge til eventuell vekst kommer. Fiskeridirektoratet sier nei til kjent, etablert teknologi, Og de kan heller ikke si ja til for like prosjekter. Flertallet av avslagene som er gitt så langt er begrunnet i at konseptene ikke oppfyller kravene til «betydelig innovasjon». Totalt kom det inn 104 ulike søknader om totalt 898 tillatelser. Flere selskaper leverte mer enn én søknad. Søknadene ble løpende behandlet. Per mai 2019 med MOWI sin søknad er altså de to siste av de 104 søknadene som kom inn ferdig behandlet av Fiskeridirektoratet. Åtte har fått beskjed om at de faller innenfor ordningen, men her pågår det fremdeles avklaringer. Elleve har fått tilsagn, mens 85 har fått avslag. Per november 2018 var det åtte Utviklingstillatelse prosjekter som fikk ja, og 57 som fikk nei !! Av søknadene som er blitt behandlet så langt, har de fleste fått avslag og/eller avkortet antall innvilgede tillatelser !!

For utviklingstillatelsene tar FiskeriDirektoratet utgangspunkt i Statistisk sentralbyrås (SSB) sin definisjon for utviklingsarbeid, som lyder slik:
«Utviklingsarbeid er systematisk virksomhet som anvender eksisterende kunnskap fra forskning eller praktisk erfaring, og som er rettet mot: å fremstille nye eller vesentlig forbedrede materiale, produkter eller innretninger».
Aktører hevder at om innovasjon hadde vært inkludert, kunne dette gitt andre utslag. Advokat Thomas Andreassen mener Fiskeridirektoratet har tolket innovasjon for snevert i sin tildeling.
I prinsippet er det fire mulige retninger å gå: Offshore, lukkede merder, på land eller dypere under vann. Av de 15 selskapene som det er avklart skal få tilsagn, er ti blant de 20 største oppdretterne i Norge. Aktører sier det kan synes å være en preferanse mot offshore og semilukkede anlegg. Så langt er det 37 tillatelser til prosjekter som sikter seg på offshore produksjon og 21 tillatelser til semilukkede anlegg.

Interessen øker for offshore havbruk, samt at regelverk og Akvakulturloven ikke er tilpasset slik drift. Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet oppretter derfor nå en interdepartemental arbeidsgruppe for å legge til rette for offshore havbruk. En ny rapport skal identifisere behov for endringer i regelverket for å legge best mulig til rette for utvikling av havbruk til havs. Den peker på eksisterende og eventuelt fremtidige utfordringer med dobbeltregulering og/eller mangler i regelverket. I rapporten vurderes blant annet hvordan areal til offshore havbruk kan settes av, hvordan tillatelser kan tildeles, hva slags type driftsregler som må på plass, regelverk knyttet til helse, miljø og sikkerhet og pantsettelsesadgang.

Fosen Yard ASA

Fosen Yard ASA, Rissa in Trøndelag, Middle Norway. Med 100 mann i Tyskland, er de nå rundt 250 ansatte i selskapet Fosen Yard. I omsetning har vi nok gjort større prosjekter. Akkurat nå har vi nesten 600 mann i arbeid på hurtigrutebåten «Nordlys». Det innebærer 130.000 arbeidstimer på 30 dager, så vi er vant til å ha store og intense prosjekter på kort tid. Han legger til at det samtidig er viktig å ha respekt for at oppdrettsnæringen er en annen bransje med tanke på standarder, krav og metodikk. Det som gjøres på Oppdrett er til en viss grad noe annet enn det Fosen Yard har gjort tidligere. Oppdrettsmerdene vil bety nye arbeidsplasser, men Anders Straumsheim kan ikke si hvor mange. På Oppdrett er det spesielt viktig med grundige forberedelser, god planlegging og å få til en god start på arbeidet. Fosen Yard begynte å satse innenfor havbruk for noen år siden. Fosen Yard har lenge jobbet målrettet for å bli en underleverandør til havbruksnæringen, og det er derfor en milepæl og spesielt gledelig at verftet nå av Midt-Norsk Havbruk er valgt som leverandør for pilotmerden for MNH-Produksjon AS. De har blant annet stått for byggingen av Aquatraz, den semilukkede stålmerden til Midt-Norsk Havbruk. Aquatraz Pilotmerden bygges i helhet ved Fosen Yard sitt verft på Kvithylla i Trøndelag. MNH sin kontrakt bestilling er at Fosen Yard skal bygge tilsammen 4 fire Aquatraz pilotmerder til MNH-Produksjon, med levering i løpet av 2018. MNH-Produksjon er datterselskap av Midt-Norsk Havbruk, og ifølge en pressemelding har Aquatraz kontrakten med Fosen Yard en verdi på rundt 120 millioner kroner. For ikke lenge siden overleverte Fosen Yard «Aquatraz 2», en gigantisk merdkonstruksjon i stål til Midt-Norsk Havbruk. Fosen Yard har bygd opp erfaring og kompetanse på feltet. Det håper og tror selskapet har vært den avgjørende faktoren til at de vant det store oppdraget. Aquatraz-merdene veier 500-600 tonn hver. Midt Norsk Havbruk er veldig fornøyd med at et lokalt verft er konkurransedyktig med hensyn til pris, kvalitet og leveringstid, og ser frem til å samarbeide med Fosen Yard. To nye gigantmerder skal bygges på Fosen. Fosen Yard offentliggjorde i går inngåelsen av en kontrakt med Norway Royal Salmon om bygging av stålkonstruksjonen som utgjøre kjernen i et nytt oppdrettsanlegg til en verdi av 700 millioner kroner. Stålkonstruksjonen bygges i seksjoner, som så fraktes til Fosen for sammenstilling, igangkjøring og testing før levering. Det er ikke kompleksiteten som er den største utfordringen, men mer volum og dimensjoner. Mellom 200 og 250 årsverk på Fosen Yard vil være involvert i byggingen av AOF havmerden.
For Norway Royal Salmon så trekker Fosen Yard i Rissa i Trøndelag det lengste strået, og det har sammenheng med kompetansen og erfaringen til Fosen. Yard ASA, og i tillegg har de en høy automasjonsgrad. AOF-Designet er nemlig laget slik at det skal være enkelt å bruke roboter og automasjonssystemer for å bygge merdene. De er sekstenkanta og pongtongene som får merdene til å flyte, er firkantede. Hver merd har 16 søyler, 16 nedre pongtongblokker og 16 øvre pongtongblokker. Når du har laget én blokk, kan du lage 31 til, så du har mulighet for serieproduksjon. Hadde merden vært avrunda, hadde det vært vanskeligere med en så høy automasjonsgrad, spesielt i de dimensjonene vi snakker her. For dette blir stort. Merdene er 79 meter i diameter. Dette gjør blant annet at de ikke kan fraktes gjennom Suezkanalen, noe som bidrar til å utelukke asiatiske verft idet også Frakten rundt Afrika ville tatt lang tid og blitt dyr. Med prisen på merdene pluss frakt til lokalitet, så er Fosen Yard konkurransedyktig. Det er alltid en totalvurdering av Kompetanse, erfaring, leveransemodell og pris som blir vurdert for alle verft, og i den vurderingen kommer Fosen Yard best ut for Norway Royal Salmon.

MOWI ASA (previous Marine Harvest) : We are leading the blue revolution - Vi leder den blå revolusjonen

Norway’s gigantic corporation now MOWI ASA before Marine Harvest ASA is by far the globe’s biggest producer of farmed salmon since it annually turns out nearly twice as much salmon as all of Alaska’s salmon fisheries combined (!) Measured by turnover per 2018, Mowi ASA previously known as Marine Harvest, must accept fourth place among the world’s 30 largest seafood companies. The two top seats are held by the Japanese. The biggest is the titan Maruha Nichiro, followed by Nippon Suisan Kaisha. Turnover is so extensive of Thai Union Group namely USD 3.8 billion, that this conglomerate topped the position in front of well-known Mowi. Mowi ASA is hence a world's leading seafood company besides being the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon.

Norway’s MOWI ASA (Marine Harvest) produces close to 400,000 metric tons of Atlantic salmon per year at farms in Europe and South America, and touts its efforts to do so as environmentally friendly. MOWI’s CEO Aarskog said that at the beginning of 2018, Mowi had its highest biomass in the sea ever. Something he believes will bear fruit in 2019. «We think we will harvest 430,000 tonnes next year, up from 375,000 this year 2028. So the potential is great,» he said.

Mowi has set an ambitious plan. The company aims to achieve ADDITIONAL SALES, based on the brand with the same name as the company, of one billion euros by 2025. See also more facts at end of this text !! In 2018 the company had a turnover of EUR 3.8 billion, it employs 14 537 people and is represented in 25 countries.

The «Coca Cola of salmon» : MOWI (Marine Harvest) has big ambitions for its new Mowi brand, where the Mowi brand aims to provide the corporation a billion euros in annual turnover by 2025.

One billion euros in annual turnover by 2025!

“The new MOWI brand will contribute 100 million euros in additional EBIT – and will break-even in 2022,” vice president Ola Brattvoll added.
“We are investing 35 million euros in this brand,” said vice president Ola Brattvoll.
Brattvoll has long talked about the value of branding and development of the salmon category. But now as vice president (for sales and marketing) he’ll be facing the ultimate test. He will develop the Mowi brand, to capture the now open position as the salmon market’s strongest brand.

“I do not want to say which market we want to launch in the first, since there may be competitors included in this webcast, but we will launch the brand in 2019, and will be rolling out in Europe, North America and Asia by 2020,” he continued.

“We will establish loyalty and habits. As soon as you have established this, you get increased values. These are the real values in a brand,” Andreas Johler pointed out. «When customers have fallen in love with a brand, values are created. Once they have created a perception that the brand is better than others, it is possible to praise it higher than other products,» he said.

The Cola recipe for the MOWI brand

Like Coca Cola, they have their own secret recipe, a recipe for successful branding. Mowi has higher omega 3 content than its competitors, its own Mowi feed and it has a better taste, explained Johler
“This will make Mowi the favorite salmon product,” he added.

From Coca Cola and Unilever

Andreas Johler is going to build the new MOWI (Marine Harvest) brand. The man who’s leading the brand is the German expert, Andreas Johler. He’s developed the Mowi with Marine Harvest. The veteran worked with Unilever and was also the brand director for Coca Cola Germany.

Selskapet har i 2019 søkt om 36 utviklingskonsesjoner for å realisere «AquaStorm». Dette er det største utviklingsprosjektet vi noen gang har planlagt. Mowi vil senke merdene ned i havdypet, og knytte sammen teknologi fra norsk oppdrett-, subsea- og offshorenæring. Aquastorm flytter merdene ut fra fjordene, og ned på dypt vann hvor fisken er beskyttet mot lakselus, sykdom og vær. Dette konseptet er fullt automatisert, og alt vil overvåkes fra et kontrollsenter på land. Der vil vi ha full kontroll på hvordan fisken har det, at den får mat og at all teknologien fungerer som den skal. Anleggene vil være autonome og uten bemanning under vanlig drift. I det første Aquastorm-prosjektet skal anleggene plasseres opptil 12 kilometer fra kysten. Med teknologien selskapet vil benytte, vil det derimot være teoretisk mulig å etablere slike anlegg opp mot 100 km fra land. I dag er arealene oppdrettsnæringen har for produksjon begrensede. Denne teknologien åpner opp enorme arealer for fremtidig vekst av bærekraftig havbruk i Norge, mener Henrik Trengereid. Han understreker at realisering er avhengig av at myndighetene tildeler prosjektet nok tillatelser. Ref. prosjektleder i Mowi, Henrik Trengereid. Fordi eier av teknologien nå er i ferd med å søke patet, kan vi dessverre ikke si mer om løsningen på dette tidspunktet», skriver selskapet i en e-post til IntraFish. Selskapet har tidligere søkt om tillatelser til konseptene Egget, Beck-Cage, Marine Donut og oppdrett i bulk-skip. MOWI er blant selskapene som har kommet med ny søknad de seneste dagene, og dets prosjekt er dessuten det største av de nye, med hele 36 tillatelser til «Aqua Storm» i Trøndelag. Mowi vil altså investere milliarder i sitt Aquastorm konsept. Mowi har ventet på patentsvar, og Ifølge NRK, som omtalte saken først, innebærer prosjektet investeringer på 3,1 milliarder kroner, og betydelige beløp er brukt på prosjektering og planlegging allerede. Selskapet har blant annet ventet svar på patentsøknader før de ville gå ut offentlig å presentere prosjektet.

«NEI» : MOWI selskapet har per mai 2019 fått et NEI fra Fiskeridirektoratet til utviklingstillatelser !! Avslaget på 36 utviklingstillatelser begrunnes nok en gang med at prosjektet ikke oppfyller vilkåret om betydelig innovasjon.
«Etter Fiskeridirektoratets vurdering befinner prosjektet seg i en fase hvor det fremdeles er uavklarte konseptuelle detaljer som ikke kan låses før ytterligere analyser og studier av teknologien er gjennomført. I følge søker avhenger disse igjen av en tildeling av tillatelser», heter det i avslaget.

«AquaStorm» Prosjektet er som skapt for ordningen med utviklingskonsesjoner, mener Administrerende direktør i Norsk Industri, Stein Lier-Hansen. Dette prosjektet representerer det beste av norsk kompetanse fra havet. I AquaStorm blir landets spisskompetanse innen havbruk, subsea og oljevirksomhet utnyttet for å skape en enda mer bærekraftig og fremtidsrettet næring. Det er nettopp slike prosjekter norske myndigheter og politikere må legge til rette for, sier Stein Lier-Hansen.
Med seg i prosjektet har Mowi en rekke ledende teknologiaktører fra subsea- og oljenæringen. I tillegg til Nofima og Sintef som FoU-partnere, har Mowi også med Aqualine, Kongsberg, ABB og Stellarman på laget. Mowi ønsker at prosjektet skal gjennomføres i Roan kommune i Trøndelag. Det er anslått at prosjektet kan tilføre minst 60 nye arbeidsplasser og betydelige ringvirkninger for regionen.

Merdene vil i utgangspunktet holdes 15 meter under havoverflaten, og vil kunne senkes ned mot minst 50 meter dersom værforholdene krever det. Anleggene vil være tilknyttet en sentral på land, som via en fordeler på havbunnen, sørger for fjernstyring av fôring, luft, lys, strøm og signaler. Dette gjøres gjennom rørledninger og kabler som strekker seg fra land til anleggene. Fôrspill og avfall vil også hentes tilbake til landanlegget for behandling via de samme rørledningene. 

“I Mowi er vi stolte av å produsere mat som er sunn for mennesker og bra for lokalsamfunn og miljø. Det er ikke lett å lede den blå revolusjonen, men Mowi sine styrker som kontroll over verdikjeden, global tilstedeværelse og fokus på en stadig mer bærekraftig produksjon vil ha en positiv effekt på verden."
Alf-Helge Aarskog, konsernsjef

“Impact on the environment is a key concern in all Marine Harvest’s activities,” the company says on its website. “Since 2008, Marine Harvest Group has worked with the World Wildlife Fund-Norway to strengthen its focus on sustainable aquaculture and to help shape and improve the whole industry’s environmental standards.”

Good feedback on the premium product

During the first half of 2019, Mowi will launch new premium products, but some restaurants have already been testing the product. The feedback is fantastic,” according to MOWI’s CEO Aarskog. “We’ve also seen it with our own eyes. The texture and color are amazing,” he added.

Selling Sustainable Salmon Products

“Sustainable” has become the buzz world in salmon markets these days. “Everyday fresh fish is flown to Miami and Dallas where we package and ship it across the country,” Marine Harvest USA brags. “Our strategic plant locations enable us to ship fresh, never frozen fish anywhere in the US.”

Time for some German-style innovation in the US salmon market.

The US market needs a dose of German innovation to reach its fresh salmon consumption potential, according to Marine Harvest COO Ola Brattvoll, who gave delegates a journey through salmon market introduction in this afternoon’s salmon session. Ola Brattvoll, konserndirektør for salg og markedsføring i MOWI ASA (Marine Harvest).

The German fresh salmon market was pretty steady at 500-700 metric tons consumption per year for many years, but then rocketed to 10 times that volume between 2012 to 2015, now hitting close to 7,000 tons per year. The key? Product innovation, with a focus on making products that German consumers know how to prepare and to eat based on their experience with meat and poultry.
The US market, at the other end of the scale, saw rapid growth up to 2005, with Chilean producers innovating well in the market, but then it stopped and consumption stagnated, stuck at around 350,000 metric tons for the last few years.
The path to market, that gives clues as to why this happens with Bratvoll explaining the transition in any new market from fine dining to traditional distribution channels and on to retail.

Mowi ranked most sustainable protein producer

Mowi is on top of the Coller FAIRR Protein Index, which ranks the world’s largest listed protein producers on sustainability. The Coller FAIRR Index ranks the largest global meat, dairy and fish producers by looking at risk factors from use of antibiotics to deforestation and labour abuses. The Index is the world’s only benchmark dedicated.

Mowi will differentiate itself from its competitors and achieve price premium for salmon.

Developing a product that is different from its competitors. «We’ve gone back in history. For the company name of the pioneers,» Alf-Helge Aarskog started. “They sold it with their own brand, already in the 1970s. With a green clip on the gills, going for a five kroner price premium.”

Mowi has set an ambitious plan. The company aims to achieve additional sales, based on the brand with the same name as the company, of one billion euros by 2025. During the North Atlantic Seafood Conference in Bergen on Thursday morning, the Mowi boss elaborated how the company was going to do this.

Closer to the end customer

“We want to get closer to the end customer, and understand how he or she thinks,” he said.
In this process, Mowi is taking control of the entire salmon value chain.
“We have our own strain of fish, based on wild salmon, taken from the rivers Årøy and Vosso in the 60s, to produce the best possible fish – for the consumer. An extremely important decision, taken many years ago,” he explained.
The company’s own fish strain receives its own feed.
“We produced 340,000 tonnes of feed, at one factory in Norway, last year. And now we are opening our new factory in Scotland. We have our own feed recipe, with a high proportion of omega-3. We can choose the ingredients ourselves; Whether it is fish oil, insect or algae,” Aarskog continued.

Traceability

“We have processing plants in 25 countries – with own sales teams. It is crucial to know what customers want. Food safety and traceability are key concerns. Taste, convenience and health. One must be proud when one leads a company with 14,000 employees and scores high on all of these points,” said Aarskog after showing today’s second commercial for Mowi from the stage at the Radisson Blu in Bergen, Norway.
“When it comes down to it; We will produce a product that provides repurchase. How the product feels and tastes is crucial,” he emphasised.
“When I grew up, Mowi was the leading company. They had 12 licenses in Hordaland. Now we have taken it globally. We have built an in-house branding competence that will, in the course of 2019, launch the Mowi concept as it will be for the future,” he concluded.

MOWI sources :

The Coca Cola of salmon: Mowi brand aims to provide a billion euros in annual turnover by 2025
https://salmonbusiness.com/the-coca-cola-of-salmon-mowi-brand-aims-to-provide-a-billion-euros-in-annual-turnover-by-2025/

“AquaStorm (Norwegian)” from Mowi on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/331929442

Watch Marine Harvest - Leading the Blue Revolution - English subtitles on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/165226883

Arctic Offshore Farming (OF) ved Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) , Trondheim Trøndelag, Middle Norway

Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) valgte Fosen Yard til å bygge havmerden Arctic Offshore Farming. NRS har fått 7,68 utviklingstillatelser, noe som betyr at de kan ha til sammen 5990 tonn laks i sitt AOF anlegg. I alt skal NRS selskapet gjøre investeringer på 1,8 milliarder kroner de neste tre årene 2020-2022 i blant annet settefiskanlegg i tillegg til vanlige drifts- og vedlikeholdsinvesteringer. AOF er den største enkeltinvesteringen Norway Royal Salmon har gjort så langt, hvor dette AOF-Prosjektet vil koste rundt 700 millioner kroner. Kontrakten med Fosen Yard er den største enkeltkontrakten i prosjektet og er verdt rundt 350 millioner kroner. Merdene skal være ferdig bygget på vårparten 2020 (neste år), og første fisk skal settes ut i tredje kvartal 2020 da. Hele AOF-løsningen skal være på plass innen utgangen tredje kvartal 2020. Kun AOF-Merdene skal altså være ferdig bygget av Fosen Yard primært i Tyskland på vårparten 2020 (neste år). Fosen Yard bygger altså nå disse nye havmerdene til NRS som er oppe i 3000 tonn, hvor disse high-tech Merdene bygd i stål er hele 79 meter i diameter. Selskapet har utviklet et helt nytt konsept for lakseoppdrett i fjernstyrte nedsenkbare produksjonsanlegg basert på offshore-teknologi. Den industrielle ambisjonen er å kombinere kunnskap fra oppdrettsnæringen med offshore kompetanse for å utvikle fremtidens havbruksnæring og med det sikre fremtidig bærekraftig vekst for norsk havbruksnæring. Anlegget vil gi betydelig økt arealutnyttelse av norske farvann ved plassering lengre fra kysten, og hvor det i tillegg vil ha et lite miljømessig fotavtrykk. Norway Royal Salmon var høsten 2018 i gang med å finne leverandører til offshoreanlegget og Leverandørene til enkelte av de store tingene som skal på plass var da allerede valgt som nevnt over, men Hatlebrekke ville da høsten 2018 ikke ut med hvem alle disse er. Arctic Offshore Farming er to store merder i stål. Med dem skal Norway Royal Salmon flytte laksen ut til havs, og senke dem ned 10 meter under overflaten. Det er to grunner. Den ene er for å komme seg unna lusa som stort sett er i øvre vannmassene. Nummer to er at miljøkreftene er voldsomt tøffe. Men kreftene avtar veldig bare fem-ti meter lenger ned. Anlegget vil ligge betydelig mer eksponert enn dagens lokaliteter. Samtidig er andre miljøforhold på slike lokaliteter svært attraktive for laksen med god vannutskiftning som vil sikre god fiskevelferd, tilvekst og miljømessig bærekraft. NRS selskapet har hatt en åpen, positiv og konstruktiv dialog med Fiskeridirektoratet for å justere nedskalere konseptet innenfor de rammebetingelser som var akseptable for partene. Med en byggetid på rundt et år, er planen at AOF-anlegget skal stå ferdig sommeren 2020 hvor det skal installeres og funksjonstestes. På sensommeren/høsten 2020 planlegger NRS selskapet å sette fisk i anlegget. NRS har fått 7,68 utviklingstillatelser, noe som betyr at de kan ha til sammen 5990 tonn laks i anlegget. Fiskeridirektoratet tildelte i mars 2018 til sammen 7,68 utviklingstillatelser (5.990 tonn Maksimal tillatt biomasse) for utvikling av Arctic Offshore Farming. NRS trur at offshore oppdrett er ein del av framtidas lakseoppdrett. Men det er mange spørsmål igjen å avklare. Me trur at offshore oppdrett er ein del av framtidas lakseoppdrett. Det vil løyse nokon, ikkje alle, utfordringane med tanke på areal og miljø. Men me må ta dette gradvis og ta nødvendig omsyn til både folk og fisk, understreka Høstlund. Veksten vil komme, men det tar tid, avslutta han. NRS meiner det er postitvt at norske styresmakter har starta arbeidet med rammeverk og lovgiving for offshore oppdrett. Tillatelsene er en anerkjennelse av en lang og god utviklingsprosess hvor Norway Royal Salmon (NRS), Aker og Aker Solutions har utviklet et halvt nedsenkbart offshore oppdrettsanlegg som er dimensjonert for værharde områder. AOF-Anlegget fjernstyres fra en fôrflåte som ligger rundt 400 meter fra merdene. Denne leveres av Akva Group. Aker Solutions er med videre som teknologi- og samarbeidspartner.
ABB får ansvar for systemene til denne fjernstyrte, nedsenkbare merden. Strategisk er kontrakten meget viktig for ABBs satsning innenfor havbruk. Med dette prosjektet går ABB inn som leverandør til fremtidens oppdrettsanlegg som stiller nye krav til både sikker drift og tekniske løsninger, sier Andersen. Leveransen til Arctic Offshore Farming er en av de største kontraktene ABB noen gang har inngått innen havbruk. ABB har fått et omfattende systemansvar for elektro, automasjon, instrumentering og telecom-løsningene.
Det betyr at ABB vil ha ansvaret for å designe overvåknings- og kontrollsystemene som skal gjøre det mulig å drifte anlegget på en sikker måte, og innebærer blant annet at det finnes back up-løsninger, eller redundans, i kritiske systemer som energiforsyning og kommunikasjon. Det Ubemannede Systemet samler også miljødata data  om meteorologiske forhold, havstrømmer, oksygennivå og sjøtemperatur. Det overvåker også pH-verdien på ulike dybder og mengden av biomasse i merdene. Noe av hensikten med tildeling av utviklingskonsesjoner er å finne løsninger på enkelte av utfordringene næringen har i dag slik at næringen kan fortsette å vokse på en bærekraftig måte. Merdene vil være ubemannet og skal kunne senkes og virke i nedsenket drift. Aker Solutions er med videre som teknologi- og samarbeidspartner.
Modelltesten i Frankrike’s Oceanide av AOF anlegget har også vist at dobbeltnot-konseptet fungerer svært godt. Det er derfor besluttet at NRS skal bruke dobbeltnot, noe som ytterligere reduserer sannsynligheten for rømming. Mørenot skal levere til Arctic Offshore Farming. Gjennom sitt selskap Aqua Knowledge i Haugesund, skal Mørenot Aquaculture utvikle den tekniske løsningen for det komplette notsystemet til Arctic Offshore Farming. Selskapet Mørenot har blant annet levert notløsningen til SalMars Ocean Farm 1 som er lokalisert på Frohavet. Nota har nå stått i sjøen i et års tid, den er gjennomtestet, og vi vet at den fungerer godt i praksis. Det vi skal levere til dette prosjektet er et dobbelt notsystem i Dyneema fiber med en spesial coating. Den vil ha ekstra lang holdbarhet, og kreve vesentlig mindre vedlikehold enn ei tradisjonell not. Dette gir også kostnadsbesparinger på drift, sier Jan Eskil Hollen, administrerende direktør Mørenot Aquaculture i meldingen. Utviklingstillatelsene er en fin måte å dra næringa ut i mer eksponerte områder. Skulle næringa gjort dette selv uten denne ordningen, så hadde det vært en mye mer gradvis utvikling. Denne ordningen er et ønske og en mulighet til å ta et stort jafs i utviklingen av næringen. Fremtiden vil vise om det var riktig. Forhåpentligvis vil noen av løsningene eller kombinasjoner av løsninger sette en industristandard for fremtidens eksponerte havbruksanlegg, sier Hatlebrekke i NRS.

AOF-Anlegget består av to store merder som plasseres i havet utenfor kysten av Troms, i et område der vær- og bølgeforholdene er langt mer krevende enn inne i fjordene. Norway Royal Salmon jobber nå med to stedsalternativer for Arctic Offshore Farming, som er dimensjonert for værharde områder til havs: Ytre Øyfjord på Senja i Lenvik kommune eller Fellesholmen på Kvaløya i Tromsø kommune. Begge næringene (fiskeri og havbruk journ.anm.) er like viktig for Lenvik og nye Senja kommune. Derfor legger Lenvik kommune til rette for utvikling av fiskerinæringen med nye kai- og næringsområder for fiskeflåten både i Botnhamn, Husøy og Fjordgård. Lokale fiskere har vært lite begeistret over planene til Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) om å teste ut konseptet Arctic Offshore Farming i Øyfjorden på Senja. Begrunnelsen av et «NEI» i starten var at etableringen ville påvirke sikkerheten og framkommeligheten negativt for de sjøfarende i området, samt plasseringen ble også vurdert til å påvirke utøvelsen av fisket i negativ retning. Med offshore oppdrett må me ha utstyr som kan handtere ekstreme forhold. Anlegget vårt er designa for 15 meter bølgehøgde, men me startar testinga på 6,5 meter bølgehøgde. Dette er noko som må takast gradvis, sa Høstlund. Til konseptet Arctic Offshore Farming har selskapet fått åtte utviklingsløyve. Selskapet har søkt om å få etablere seg på lokaliteten Ytre Øyfjord i Lenvik kommune i Troms med konseptet. Dersom industrien skal vekse, må den ta i bruk ny teknologi og auke arealutnyttinga og nå meir eksponerte område, sa Høstlund.
Han viste til at i dag er 96 prosent av lokalitetane innanfor område med maksimal bølgehøgde på 3,5 meter.

Ocean Farm (OF) ved SalMar ASA, Trøndelag, Middle Norway

Gustav Witzøe 21.10: 2019 over som CEO konsernsjef i Salmar. Tidligere toppsjef Olav-Andreas Ervik er ny daglig leder i det nyopprettede datterselskapet Salmar Ocean, og har hovedansvaret for selskapet satsing på havbasert oppdrett. Ocean Farm 1 & 2 - Virksomheten er nå altså en del av Salmars nye datterselskap Salmar Ocean. Med etableringen av SalMar Ocean tar Salmar et nytt skritt i retning av å styrke sin posisjon som ledende i utviklingen av havbasert oppdrett, sier CEO Gustav Witzøe. «Både Witzøe og Ervik poengterer at endringen sikrer kontinuitet i ledelsen, og at den er en naturlig konsekvens av Salmars ambisjon om å lede an i utviklingen av havbasert oppdrett», heter det i meldingen. Salmar har nylig gjort et nytt utsett av fisk i havmerden Ocean Farm 1. Samtidig jobber datterselskapet Mariculture med å avslutte design og prosjektering av Smart Fish Farm, som er en større og mer avansert merd som skal etableres i åpent hav. Disse to virksomhetene er altså nå en del av nyetablerte Salmar Ocean. «Dette er teknologisk banebrytende prosjekter som inngår i selskapets havstrategi. Vår ambisjon er å lede utviklingen av miljømessig bærekraftig sjømatproduksjon i eksponerte sjøområder», sier Witzøe. «Vi er overbevist om at havbasert oppdrett vil spille en viktig rolle i fremtidens matproduksjon. På åpent hav har vi enestående muligheter til å drive oppdrett på naturens premisser og med minimal miljøpåvirkning. Jeg ser virkelig frem til å ta denne satsingen videre» , sier Ervik. Planen er at det skal være tett samarbeid og samspill mellom den havbaserte og den tradisjonelle oppdrettsvirksomheten. «Selskapet vil i årene fremover investere store beløp i produksjonsanlegg flere steder langs kysten, herunder en betydelig vekst i RAS-basert settefiskproduksjon. I sum vil Salmar investere flere milliarder kroner i produksjons- og industrianlegg de nærmeste årene», sier Witzøe.

SalMar var det første selskapet som fikk innvilget utviklingstillatelser, for konseptet Ocean Farm (OF). HAVBASERT FISKEOPPDRETT - En ny æra innen havbruk er på vei. Selskapet bak OF-havmerden er Ocean Farming AS, et selskap i SalMar-konsernet – etablert etter målsetting om å utvikle havbasert fiskeoppdrett. Ocean Farming AS vil gjennom utvikling og realisering av ny teknologi og gjennom operativ erfaring tilegne seg den særskilte kompetanse som kreves av denne neste generasjons form for fiskeoppdrett. SalMar-selskapet Ocean Farming AS ble i 2016 tildelt åtte utviklingskonsesjoner ifølge Fiskeridirektoratet, og Tillatelsene er gitt med en varighet på syv år. SalMar har som mål å kunne benytte hele kapasiteten ved lokaliteten, som er på åtte tillatelser, tilsvarende 6.240 tonn. «Ocean Farm 1» som ble satt i sjøen i Håbranden langt ute i Frohavet vest for Trøndelag i 2017 har altså plass til rundt 1,5 millioner laks. Den har en diameter på 110 meter og 68 m i høyde, og den kostet 690 millioner kroner. SalMar vil bygge en havfarm som er dobbelt så stor som «Ocean Farm 1», så dagens gigant «Ocean Farm 1» blir liten sammenlignet med SalMars nye havmerd. For Salmars nye havmerd, «Smart Fish Farm» , er det søkt om 16 utviklingstillatelser. Dette omfatter en investering prislapp på 1,5 milliarder kroner, og dimensjonene er en Diameter på 160 meter med plass til tre millioner laks i denne nye havmerden. Den vil kunne tåle bølgehøyder opp til 31 meters høyde. Det vil si at merden kan ligge langt ute i Norskehavet. Salmar har startet et arbeid for å identifisere det området som miljømessig er best egnet for etableringen. «Smart Fish Farm» løsningen vil langt på vei kunne løse konfliktene om miljø og arealer som næringen møter i dag. Konseptet er utviklet av det Stavanger-baserte selskapet Mariculture, hvor SalMar har kjøpt 51 prosent av aksjene.

Målet for Utviklingstillatelsene i Norge er å stimulere til utvikling av ny teknologi og løsninger som kan bidra til at bransjen kan vokse samtidig som hensynet til miljø og bærekraft er ivaretatt. Ocean Farm-prosjekt er rettet inn mot nettopp denne utfordringen, og SalMar var den første norske produsenten som ble tildelt denne type utviklingstillatelse. Ocean Farm 1 – verdens første oppdrettsanlegg til havs – har nå ankommet Frohavet. Anlegget kan utgjøre de første stegene mot en ny æra innen havbruk. Ocean Farm 1 er utviklet ved hjelp av verdensledende norsk ekspertise innen fiskeoppdrett og offshore og skal brukes til å teste ut hvordan havbruk kan vokse på en bærekraftig måte. «Vi mener prosjektet kan være et viktig bidrag for å løse arealutfordringene i havbruksnæringen", skriver Direktoratet. Ifølge Fiskeridirektoratet, skal Ocean Farming investere 690 millioner kroner i pilotprosjektet. Hva som inkluderes i dette, opplyses ikke. SalMar opplyste ved sin fjerdekvartalspresentasjon at havmerden ville medføre investeringer på "rundt 600 millioner kroner". Etter endt prosjektperiode kan tillatelsene, etter visse kriterier, konverteres til ordinære tillatelser – mot et vederlag på 10 millioner kroner per tillatelse (KPI-justert).

SalMar ASA sin OF-Merd er utviklet i Norge, med bakgrunn i et tverrfaglig partnerskap mellom norske aktører med verdensledende ekspertise innen havbruk, offshore og relevant forskning. OF-anlegget er en konstruksjon med de samme grunnleggende egenskaper som halvt nedsenkbare installasjoner offshore og som samtidig ivaretar laksens biologiske behov. I utviklingen av tekniske løsninger er hele driftsmodellen vurdert, og nye tilnærminger til ulike operasjoner er utviklet. Ut over etablerte byggestandarder i havbruksnæringen er regelverk og byggestandarder fra offshoreindustrien tatt i bruk. Byggingen av merden skjedde ved CSIS-gruppen (The China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation) i Kina. I 2017 ble merden fraktet med båt fra Kina til lokaliteten Håbranden i Frøya kommune. Seilasen begynte i mai, og havmerden ankom Frøya i september i fjor 2017.

Planen er å starte slakting av fisken på lokaliteten i løpet av høsten 2019. Det første året 2018 har gått bra med hensyn til at vi ser en fin utvikling på tilvekst, fisken responderer godt og ser ut til å ha det veldig bra. Ervik opplyser at under normal drift ved havmerden så har det ikke vært behov for annet enn anløp av fôrbåt så langt, og at dette har fungert bra. I februar for to år siden fikk selskapet tilsagn om seks utviklingstillatelser for å teste ut sin havmerd. Etter cirka ett års produksjon så fisken ut til å ha det bra i merden. I september krenget merden, noe som førte til at laks klarte å rømme. Først når utviklingsløpet er fullført og vi kan dokumentere at målkriteriene er oppfylt og evaluering gjennomført, vil det være aktuelt å søke om konvertering, opplyser Ervik. Han sier at pilotfasen vil vare til konsesjonene er konvertert, noe selskapet vil ta stilling til å søke om når fisken som står på lokaliteten nå er utslaktet.

Giganten «Ocean Farm 1» blir liten sammenlignet med SalMars nye «Smart Fish Farm» havmerd som har en prislapp på 1,5 milliarder kroner og som har plass til tre millioner laks. Med også en diameter på 160 meter så vil altså SalMar ASA bygge en havfarm som er dobbelt så stor som «Ocean Farm 1».
«Smart Fish Farm» Konseptet er utviklet av det Stavanger-baserte selskapet Mariculture, hvor SalMar har kjøpt 51 prosent av aksjene. Selskapet har søkt om 16 utviklingstillatelser. «Smart Fish Farm» løsningen vil langt på vei kunne løse konfliktene om miljø og arealer som næringen møter i dag. Den vil kunne tåle bølgehøyder opp til 31 meters høyde. Det vil si at merden kan ligge langt ute i Norskehavet, og Salmar har startet et arbeid for å identifisere det området som miljømessig er best egnet for etableringen. Havmerden skal altså plasseres i Norskehavet utenfor trøndelagskysten.

Gustav Witzøe etablerte Salmar i 1991. SalMar er Norges nest største, og et av verdens største, innen lakseoppdrett. 26 år gamle sønnen Gustav Magnar Witzøe kontrollerer nå over 52 prosent av Salmar gjennom selskapet Kverva. Det meste av aksjene er altså overført fra GW til sønnen. Se mer om Kverva.

Aquatraz ved nå NTS ASA (Midt-Norsk Havbruk AS), Trøndelag, Middle Norway

Midt-Norsk Havbruk AS har ikke brukt lusemidler på tre år. Ny teknologi og systematisk arbeid skal ta selskapet inn i en fremtid der fisken får lov til å være i fred i merden. Aquatraz merden er en semi-lukket stålmerd som er utviklet av Seafarming Systems i Stavanger.
Aquatraz-merdene veier 500–600 tonn hver, og Pilotmerden har en omkrets på 160 m og er designet for å benyttes i eksisterende rammefortøyninger. MNH sin kontrakt bestilling er at Fosen Yard skal bygge ytterliggere tre Aquatraz pilotmerder til MNH-Produksjon. Aquatraz 1 altså Den første pilotmerden skulle leveres fra Fosen Yard i mai 2018. MNH-Produksjon er datterselskap av Midt-Norsk Havbruk, og ifølge en pressemelding har hele Aquatraz kontrakten med Fosen Yard en verdi på rundt 120 millioner kroner. Etter at Midt-Norsk Havbruks datterselskap MNH-Produksjon er tildelt fire utviklingstillatelser, må NTS ASA betale 200 millioner kroner mer for selskapet.
Det går frem av en 2017 børsmelding fra NTS, idet NTS den 19. april 2017 inngikk en avtale om erverv av samtlige aksjer i Midt-Norsk Havbruk. NTS ASA (tidligere Namsos Trafikkselskap), som eier brønnbåtsselskapet Norsk Fisketransport, inngikk avtalen om kjøp av samtlige aksjer i Midt-Norsk Havbruk. Eierne av Midt-Norsk Havbruk er største eier i NTS. Aquatraz svarer til forventningene – og mer enn det! Dette er den veldig korte konklusjonen til prosjektleder i Midt-Norsk Havbruk (MNH), Steingrim Holm. Fisken kom i merden i fjor høst 2018, og i slutten av mai 2019 ble den første fisken slaktet ut. Produksjonen har gått bedre enn de forventningene MNH hadde. Så langt synes det også som at dødeligheten ligger klart lavere enn hva tilfellet er i referansemerden – som for øvrig er utstyrt med lusekjørt. Med sin nye semilukkede stålmerd gjør Midt-Norsk Havbruk alt de kan for å redusere risikoen for rømning. I dette konseptet er det en helt annen tilnærming til den menneskelige faktoren og til noten, som gjør at vi reduserer rømningsrisikoen mye, sier MNH og understreker at de ikke har hatt noen rømninger hittil. Med Aquatraz hever de hele konstruksjonen under operasjoner som avlusing og tømming. Det er lite manuelt arbeid, eller kranarbeid, så det er med på å dra ned risikoen. Aguatraz Navnet på konstruksjonen spiller derfor på Alcatraz i USA. Hvilke forskjeller det er mellom Aquatraz og tradisjonelle merder får de imidlertid ikke vite før begge merdene er ferdig utslakta. Det MNH først og fremst får svar på med den prosessen her nå, er heving av konstruksjonen, trenging av laksen og det å få den trøkket over i brønnbåten og fram til slakteriet, og det ser veldig bra ut, sier MNH. Aqautraz er en «modernisering av grøntvedtmerden, og trolig sterkere, større og har bedre flyteevne». Ringen er 160 meter i omkrets og har en stiv flytering av stål på 2,5 meter. Den kunne vært bare 30 centimeter, men den har en funksjon der den fungerer som flyteenhet i en løfteprosess. Prinsippet den er bygd på, er den stige flyteringen. Under er en lukket stiv vegg på seks meter som hindrer inntrenging av lakselus. Under «stålskjørtet» er det en stålnetting som fører ned til en kon, sa Holand, ifølge pressemeldingen.
Videre opplyses det at det er fire søyler som har to funksjoner, vanninntak og løftesøyler. Vanninntaket vil kunne ta inn tilnærmet lusefritt vann fra de seks øverste meterne. Vannet vil bli satt i en sirkulær bevegelse. Aquatraz-merden fungerer også uten strøm, og som de tradisjonelle merdene renner vannet rett gjennom, sa Holand. Løftesøylene løfter og presser fisken «naturlig ned mot kanalen hvor fisken pumpes ut». Merden er tenkt tømt fra bønnen. Konseptet skal bedre dagens fiskehelse, blant annet ved å holde fisken i bevegelse i øvre del av merden hvor den ifølge meldingen er bedre strømning- og svømmeforhold.

Midt-Norsk Havbruk har i dag ti ordinære lakseoppdrettskonsesjoner og to FOU-konsesjoner, en forventet produksjon i 2017 på ca 15.000 tonn (gwe) og kontroll på hele verdikjeden for laks med eierskap i smoltanlegg, rensefiskproduksjon og videreforedlingsanlegg/salg. Videre har selskapet i 2017 investert i Fiskeldi Austfjarda HF (14,83 % - eierandel) som er et oppdrettsselskap på Island under oppbygging og med forventning om sterk vekst fremover. Midt-Norsk Havbruk bruker allerede velferdsindikatorene gjennom Fishwell-prosjektet. MNH har tatt i bruk indikatorene som er utarbeidet gjennom Fishwell-prosjektet. Det gjør MNH i sin storskala produksjon av triploid laks, sier veterinær Torolf Storsul i Midt-Norsk Havbruk. Kombinasjonen NTS - Midt-Norsk Havbruk skaper et sterkt finansielt og operasjonelt havbrukskonsern med gode muligheter for vekst innenfor både oppdrett, transport- og servicetjenester, sier administrerende direktør i NTS, Harry Bøe. Ved gjennomføring av transaksjonen med MNH befester NTS sin posisjon og integrerer dagens virksomhet i en verdikjede som også inkluderer oppdrett av laks. Det kombinerte selskapet har som ambisjon å øke effektiviteten og redusere produksjonskostnader og biologisk risiko gjennom en fullintegrert produksjonsmodell. Selskapet vil samtidig være godt posisjonert for videre konsolidering innenfor både oppdrett, transport- og servicetjenester. Eierne har store ambisjoner for det fullintegrerte havbrukskonsernet, både langs Norskekysten og i utlandet.
– Sammenslåingen vil gjøre det mulig å realisere viktige prosjekter raskere. Både MNH og NTS har allerede engasjementer på Island. Fra slutten av april vil NTS også ha sin første brønnbåt i engasjement i Canada, sier administrerende direktør Harry Bøe i NTS i en pressemelding.
– Vi etablerer nå et konkurransekraftig og fleksibelt alternativ til oppdrettsgigantene i Norge.

Havfarming ved Nordlaks ASA, Tromsø, North Norway

Høsten 2018 er Nordlaks den store vinneren når det gjelder utviklingstillatelser, idet Nordlaks har alene fått ikke langt unna halvparten av utviklingstillatelsene, så mange som 21 av 53 tillatelser som er tildelt. Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet (NFD) har vedtatt å gi Nordlaks totalt 21 utviklingstillatelser for å utvikle havfarm nummer en og nummer tre. Havfarmen konseptet har myndighetene sagt ja til, i tillegg til taket på hvor mye laks selskapet får lov til å produsere. Hver av de to Havfarmene blir dimensjonert for 10.000 tonn laks, det vil si maksimalt 13 tillatelser. Hver utviklingstillatelse er på 780 tonn - det samme som en standard laksekonsesjon.
Havfarmen nummer 1 skal hete «Jostein Albert» , og Havfarmen er 385 meter lang og 59,5 meter bred. Vekten har økt betydelig fra opprinnelig plan idet det går med 33.000 tonn stål til å bygge den - noe som er 11.000 tonn mer enn opprinnelig planlagt. Prislappen på hver av Havfarmen installasjonene blir på 1 milliard kroner. Selskapet vil ikke være mer presis nå. I tillegg kommer der 2-3 milliarder kroner til investeringer i utvidelse av Nordlaks' settefisk-anlegg på Innhavet i Hamarøy, utvidelse av slakteriet på Børøya ved Stokmarknes i Vesterålen der selskapet har hovedkvarter, og bygging av ny brønnbåt. Brønnbåten blir den første i verden i sitt slag når den leveres i 2020. Den blir en hybrid som vil gå på strøm og LNG-gass. Med denne innovasjonen skal Nordlaks flytte den siste og mest intensive delen av laksens vekstfase ut av fjordene. Nordlaks ønsker at avstanden til nærmeste lakseanlegg skal være minst 10 kilometer mot 2,5 kilometer som er Mattilsynets anbefalte minsteavstand i dag. Havfarmen skal plasseres i områder som ikke kan utnyttes til oppdrett med dagens tilgjengelige teknologi. Dette er mer eksponerte havområder med komplekse vind-, strøm- og bølgeforhold, og større dyp. Hensikten med den nye teknologien er forbedring når det gjelder miljømessige, fiskevelferdsmessige og produksjonsmessige betingelser. Sommeren 2020 skal Havfarmen fortøyes på svai sørvest for Hadseløya i Vesterålen, ut mot åpent hav. Første fisken skal settes inn juni 2020. I sør reiser Lofotveggen seg og i nord ligger Bø kommune, og dette havstykket har hittil vært umulig å bruke til lakseoppdrett fordi det ligger så værutsatt til.
Konsernhovedkvarteret ligger i på den lille Børøya, som er forbundet med Hadseløya med bru.
Produksjonen av laks blir tredelt. For det første skal smolt-størrelsen økes. Fisken skal så gå i et tradisjonelt oppdrettsanlegg i fire til ti måneder, til den blir ett til ett-og-et-halvt kilo. Deretter blir den overført til Havfarmen, hvor den skal være inntil den når slaktevekt på rundt 5 kilo. Det betyr normalt omtrent 10 måneder.
- Det er flere grunner til at produksjonen planlegges slik. Stor fisk er mer robust, slik at den vil tåle utsatte lokaliteter bedre. Slik vekselbruk gjør også at vi kan brakklegge de tradisjonelle anleggene hyppigere enn før. I dag driftes tradisjonelle lokaliteter i inntil to år før brakklegging. Hyppigere brakklegging vil være enda et verktøy i verktøykassen for forebygging mot lakselus

Prosjekt Havfarm startet våren 2015, og er et samarbeid mellom Nordlaks og NSK Ship Design i Harstad. På planleggingsstadiet fins så langt Havfarmen i to utgaver: en stasjonær og en såkalt «dynamisk».
Den første Havfarmen, som ovenfra ser ut som et skip eller fartøy, er 385 meter lang og nesten 60 meter brei. Oppdrettsnøtene vil stikke nesten 56 meter ned i havet.
Myndighetene ga delvis tilsagn til den stasjonære allerede før jul i 2016. Der er utviklingen kommet lengst. Kontrakter med underleverandører av utstyr begynner nå å komme på plass.
I februar 2018 gikk byggekontrakten til et kinesisk verft, CIMC Raffles i byen Yantai som ligger ved Gulehavet. Verftet har god framdrift, og har den siste tida også jobbet med å få på plass avtaler med underleverandører. Den siste i så måte er Rolls-Royce Marine, som skal levere thrustere for å sirkulere vann i mærene. Selve byggingen av den stasjonære Havfarmen starter i november 2019 når de første stålplatene skjæres til. Havfarmen bygges i tre megablokker, som skal settes sammen i vinter 2020. Nordlaks' første havfarm bygges for tiden ved CIMC Raffles i Kina. Den skal altså ferdigstilles i vinter 2020, fraktes til Norge til våren, og kobles til lokaliteten utenfor Melbu i Nordland i mai 2020.
Den andre typen Havfarm er den «dynamiske». Den er ennå bare på designplanet. Nordlaks ønsker å legge den på sørsida av Vestfjorden i Nordland, på forskjellige steder i Hamarøy kommune. Man er nå i ferd med å samle inn vær- og bølgedata.Søknaden om lokalisering er ennå ikke sendt til kommunen. Forskjellen på de to Havfarmene er at den dynamiske kan flyttes, mens den stasjonære vil ligge fast på ett sted. Erfaringer fra prosessen så langt med den første vil komme godt med når man skal designe og etter hvert bygge den andre, sier Martinussen.

Challenge #2 - Salmon Lice, A high-tech solution is the new «Starfish» closed-pen farming in Norway, by MOWI ASA and Nekkar AS

Lakselusen koster ifølge DN oppdretterne rundt fem milliarder kroner i året i behandling og dødelighet !!

Nekkar Selskapets havbruksatsing er kanskje den mest ambisiøse. Nekkar er godt i gang med utviklingen av det de internt kaller for «Starfish», et anlegg for lukket fiskeoppdrett.
Merden utvikles i samarbeid med en av de virkelig store fiskeoppdretterne i Norge. Navnet på samarbeidspartneren er enda ikke offentliggjort.
– En lukket merd kan sette en stopper for luse-problematikken. Vi håper å få en modell av merden i fjorden allerede neste halvår, forteller Eidesvik.
Lakselusen koster ifølge DN oppdretterne rundt fem milliarder kroner i året i behandling og dødelighet, og Mowi-sjef Alf-Helge Aarskog har til Kyst.no omtalt lakselus som selskapets «største utfordring».
– Vi bruker kompetansen vi har fra offshore-industrien til å utvikle nye produkter, og vi har fått veldig gode tilbakemeldinger på dette prosjektet.

Salmon aquaculture is not without its problems because of huge losses and cost due to Sea-lice infestations.

Sea-lice infestations reduced anticipated production in Norway, Scotland, Canada and other countries last year, and green algae blooming this year in North Norway killed a huge amount of atlantic salmon production. Salmon Farms in the Northern Hemisphere have also been forced to resort to pesticides to kill the lice pests, but we note also it’s amazing the number of problems industrial agriculture earlier has been able to overcome

Challenge #3 - Ocean Ranched Salmon Escapes in Canada’s British Columbia claimed damaging wild salmon populations !!

We pay respect to the fact that three Canadian conservation groups state advocate that Alaskan salmon ranches and interception fisheries are damaging B.C.’s wild salmon populations. They plan to challenge the eco-certification awarded to the Alaskan salmon fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council. The conservationists worry that slow progress on the fishery’s unfulfilled conditions are damaging B.C.’s wild salmon stocks, and they advocate this standpoint here. «Alaskan ocean ranching and hatchery operations release billions of farm-raised fish into natural eco-systems and wild salmon populations,» said Aaron Hill, a biologist with the Watershed Watch Salmon Society. “There is increasing scientific concern about the effect that flooding the North Pacific with these fish is having on wild salmon populations.” “These fish compete for the same food resources as wild salmon in the open ocean,” said Hill. “Between Japan, Alaska, Canada and Russia more than five billion hatchery fish are released into the North Pacific and it’s getting to be a real concern.” Ocean-ranched salmon could damage wild stocks by out-competing them for food and by mixing with spawning populations, Hill said. Fact on Ocean-ranched fish is they are hatched and reared in fresh water and then raised in ocean-based net pens where they are fed and protected from predation to gain size and strength before being released into the wild.

Canada’s salmon farmers push for Federal Aquaculture Act | SeaWestNews
https://seawestnews.com/canadas-salmon-farmers-push-for-federal-aquaculture-act/

In March 2018 the Washington's governor, Democrat Jay Inslee, signed a bill into law that would phase out net-pen aquaculture for non-native species, such as Atlantic salmon. The law took effect 60 days after the signing. So, Cooke’s Washington woes are noteable today. It was the escape of between 160,000-263,0000 Atlantic salmon -- the precise number is in dispute -- from a Cooke net pen facility near Cypress Island in August that led to the passage of the bill.

Cooke Aquaculture’s acquisition of Icicle Seafoods gave the Canadian firm access to Atlantic salmon farms in Washington state, in the US Pacific northwest. Joel Richardson, a spokesman for Cooke, told Undercurrent News that the company is looking at its options. «Maybe we should look at farming other species. Maybe we should look at not having any operations there at all. There are all kinds of options that we need to consider right now. All of those different options are on the table at this point in time,» he said.

Challenge #4 - Ref Canada, Facts on Alaska’s laws encompassing it’s decided transition to «Ocean Ranching» from it’s previous Ban on Net Pen Ranching.

2019 : Norway’s four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes

Before you read beneath key facts on 2019 breaking news from Canada as well as from the US state of Washington about new laws directly linked to their recent 2019 incidents on salmon escapes, kindly note here the very latest mandatory regulations being introduced October 2019 in Norway for strict enforcement in all of its Seafood industry. Law changes in Canada and USA thus influence and impact new 2019-2020 Norway workprocedures organisational structure permits licences penalties permit withdrawals regulations and even new laws, as well as vice versa !!

Norway’s industry association Sjømatbedriftene, with its CEO Robert Eriksson, has early October 2019 established four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes, which have been presented to the Minister for Seafood and Fisheries, Harald Tom Nesvik. In this way Norway’s farmers can be secured improvements in planning and correct work procedures in one’s organisation.

1. Establish clear competency requirements
2. Enforce greater responsibility on the farming companies to recapture escaped fish
3. Stop the permit granting (Licence or Concession) for farming companies that has incurred repeated fish escapes during the last two years
4. Mandatory enforcement of reduction in production (volumes) for farming companies that conciously evades to file a report on fish escapes.

Though Alaska banned fish farming in the form of net-penned salmon in 1990, it encouraged and supported fish farming in the form of «Ocean Ranching» . Alaska fish farms would likely have created new, independent businesses. The ocean ranching operations started by the state are now run by collectives of commercial fishermen the state helped organize as regional aquaculture associations.

A fact is that a craigmedred.news investigation has found the state of Alaska is now big into the salmon-farming business. About 70 percent of the Alaska salmon not in a can now comes from salmon farms. Alaska also jumped heavily into ocean-ranching and it has now become a key part of the Alaska commercial fishing industry. Alaska’s ocean-ranched free-range hatchery salmon is also marketed as «Alaska wild».

Salmon farming in the USA

Per 2018-2019 we note that Washington is the only West Coast state that allows Atlantic salmon net-pen fish farming operations.
Another noteworthy fact is that a landbased salmon-raising fish farm in Wisconsin is just now going operational, namely Superior Fresh, and the COO Brandon Gottsacker states this. “We are raising the most premium salmon in the world,” «The pristine water and the absence of antibiotics or pesticides, is something today’s consumers are demanding.”

Cooke’s Washington woes

2019 : On Thursday last week, Washington's governor, Democrat Jay Inslee, signed a bill into law that would phase out net-pen aquaculture for non-native species, such as Atlantic salmon. The law is expected to take effect 60 days after the signing.

Cooke Aquaculture’s acquisition of Icicle Seafoods gave the Canadian firm access to Atlantic salmon farms in Washington state, in the US Pacific northwest. It was the escape of between 160,000-263,0000 Atlantic salmon -- the precise number is in dispute -- from a Cooke net pen facility near Cypress Island in August that led to the passage of the bill.

Salmon Farming in Canada

Aquaculture provides 26,000 full-time jobs across Canada and generates $5.4 billion ($4 billion/€3.7 billion) in economic benefits, Timothy Kennedy the CAIA president and CEO noted. Salmon farming makes up close to 90 percent of this economic value. Canada is the fourth largest producer of farmed salmon after Norway, Chile, and the United Kingdom. The Canadian salmon farming industry is considered to have significant potential for growth due to Canada’s long coastline, cold water temperatures, and proximity to the United States market.

Value – B.C. salmon farms contribute over $1.5 billion annually into B.C.’s economy and only occupy 0.05% of the entire B.C. coast. In 2016, the salmon aquaculture industry in Canada was valued at $1 billion. Aquaculture accounts for over 33% of Canada’s total seafood VALUE, and Aquaculture represents 20 per cent of Canada's seafood production !! Salmon and other fin fish is making up almost 80 per cent of the Aquaculture output. About half of farmed fish come from British Columbia and most of the rest from the Atlantic provinces. In B.C., farm-raised salmon is responsible for about one-third of the provincial seafood harvest, over 60%of the landed value and almost half of the wholesale value of all B.C. seafood. About 70% of all salmon sold in B.C. is farm-raised. B.C.’s salmon farmers raise almost three-quarters of the salmon harvested in the province each year. Farm-raised salmon is B.C.’s highest valued seafood product, the province’s top agricultural export. B.C. salmon farming companies support hundreds of individual initiatives for education, health and well-being, indigenous peoples, arts and sports – all of the organizations and activities that provide quality of life in a community. The salmon farming industry in B.C. expands across multiple service sectors, creating over 6,600 jobs in mainly coastal communities. There are 118 marine finfish aquaculture farms and 20 land-based farms operated by the 59 member companies of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA). About 60 to 70 salmon farm tenures are active at any one time.

Atlantic Canada has long been home to Cooke Seafoods, but is now making room for more major players including Mowi, Grieg -- and potentially Cermaq. Unsurprisingly, throughout the last several years Canada's east coast has been seeing major salmon companies set up in the area including Grieg, Mowi, and now potentially Cermaq, dubbing the area as the final frontier of possible expansion for salmon's net pen farming industry. "Almost by default Marystown in Canada will become the center of aquaculture for Newfoundland and Labrador, and maybe the center of aquaculture for Canada," Mayor of Marystown Sam Synard said.

2019 BC Salmon Farmers Association: Transition to closed-containment farms is 'unachievable'

Forcefully moving salmon farming to closed containment by 2025 will result in industry stagnation and significant unemployment, says BC Salmon Farmers Association executive. Forcefully mandating a five-year transition from ocean net pen salmon farming to land-based production is "unachievable.

2019 Canadian PM is vowing to stop net pen salmon farming by 2025.

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) are not in favor of the Canadian Liberal Party and Green Party election promises to transition from open netpen salmon farms in British Columbia to closed-containment systems, dubbing the idea "nonsense." The association calls on all federal election candidates to stand for Canada's salmon farming industry and rejecting the campaign promises due to the importance seen in salmon farming. The ACFFA statement comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's liberal party launched its full campaign platform on Sunday, proposing a change to the country's salmon farming industry by 2025. This move on laws would negatively impact the environment, fish health welfare and socio-economics in the rural coastal communities even if the change were to happen, the executive said.
The industry already grow their smolt in land-based hatcheries and land-based technologies continue to evolve as salmon farmers drive the innovation, Farquharson added.

"But at this point, the evidence is clear, the ocean is the best place for that final stage for salmon to grow from smolts to market size – just as they do in nature," she said. «Those who advocate moving all salmon farms from the ocean onto land need to realize that the practice of growing salmon to full maturity in tanks poses very real challenges.»
The ACFFA highlights several statistics regarding the amounts of land, water and energy needed to grow salmon to market size.

"These election promises amount to nothing more than an attempt to pander for votes to a vocal minority who oppose salmon farming in British Columbia," Farquharson said. "Here on the east coast, the majority of Atlantic Canadians support salmon farming." «This is a reckless policy, not grounded in science, and it will threaten good middle-class jobs across Canada,» said Timothy Kennedy, CAIA president and CEO. If implemented, Kennedy added, farmed salmon production would simply be driven to other countries, undercutting efforts the industry has made to improve sustainability.

"The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recognized the provincial production as 'a good alternative' last year, the only region so recognized in the world, and the FAIRR Global Index lists BC salmon producers as the top sustainable global producers of animal protein," Kennedy said. «It is a critical solution to the world’s growing demand for low impact, low-carbon emissions, high-protein food supply while alleviating pressure on threatened wild fish stocks.» "There is no evidence that BC salmon farms are harming wild salmon populations," he said. "While pilot projects to grow salmon to full size in closed containment are happening around the world, this work needs to continue in partnership and without any artificial mandates and timelines."

2019 : Global salmon markets are now working against Alaska as a continuing trend, because Technology is transforming the fishing business the way it transformed the cattle business, in such a way that the cowboys of the sea are being replaced by the farmers of the bays much as happened on land. There is no indication that salmon farming, now a well-established industry, will be any different from any other farming since aquaculture is now a full-fledged industrial agriculture. The fact is that science-driven “green revolution” transformed agriculture. Another matter is that we note the fact that Salmon farmers already control 70 percent of the salmon market, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Salmon consumption worldwide is also three times higher than it was in 1980, and Salmon aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world. For a brief moment in time the Alaskans controlled salmon markets. There is sure to be a continuing demand for the best of Alaska wild salmon, just as there is a demand for the best of almost everything. The wild Alaska brand is a valuable one, and Alaska’s advantage is the state’s mystique, and Superior advantage is that wild Alaska salmon is closer to consumers and pitching healthy eating on multiple fronts. Promoters of wild Alaska fish try to sell – quality. But market forces can be expected to continually drive salmon prices down, and the more efficient and productive fish farms become, the more prices will fall with pressure coming both from deepwater and on land. However, the commercial salmon fishery in the 49th state is not going away any day soon.

You are welcome to compare the pros and cons about this Americas move on Laws and Regulations as well as on long-term Seafood strategic initiatives, see in this «Great Adventures» eBook also facts (Note none of this author’s personal opinions are listed on this page for Challenge #5 ) on Norway’s combined actions on 1. The Blue Change of Pace 2050 AND 2. The Development Licences granted by the Norway’s Fisheries Directorate per 2019 !! Before you read beneath key facts on Canada’s breaking news about new laws being linked to salmon escapes, kindly note here the very latest mandatory regulations being introduced October 2019 in Norway for strict enforcement in all of its Seafood industry. Law changes in Canada and USA thus influence and impact new 2019-2020 Norway laws !!

2019 : Norway’s four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes

Norway’s industry association Sjømatbedriftene, with its CEO Robert Eriksson, has early October 2019 established four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes, which have been presented to the Minister for Seafood and Fisheries, Harald Tom Nesvik. In this way Norway’s farmers can be secured improvements in planning and correct work procedures in one’s organisation.

1. Establish clear competency requirements
2. Enforce greater responsibility on the farming companies to recapture escaped fish
3. Stop the permit granting (Licence or Concession) for farming companies that has incurred repeated fish escapes during the last two years
4. Mandatory enforcement of reduction in production (volumes) for farming companies that conciously evades to file a report on fish escapes.

Justin Trudeau’s government targets B.C.’s salmon farming industry.

Liberal party pledges to phase open-net salmon farms to closed containment systems by 2025.
As part of Justin Trudeau’s reelection campaign, Canada’s ruling party want’s to boot out the salmon farming industry in British Columbia.

Closed containment systems

On page 36 from its manifesto, the Liberal party wrote, in just four lines, how it planned to end salmon farming: “In British Columbia, we will work with the province to develop a responsible plan to transition from open net-pen salmon farming in coastal waters to closed containment systems by 2025”. There was no mention of Atlantic Canada’s salmon farms.

With just over five years to end the EUR 1 billion industry, the industry is up in arms. Salmon farmers were already facing a gradual phase out of at least 17 salmon farms by 2013.

Destructive

The BC salmon farmer’s association called the plan “destructive” and “careless” in a press release on Tuesday: “The Liberal Party’s aquaculture platform commitment to ‘transition from open net-pen salmon farming to closed containment systems by 2025’ is destructive, careless and flies in the face of making decisions about aquaculture based on science and facts. At a time when leaders should be focusing on climate change and climate action, the Liberal Party is looking to shut down the seafood farming method with the lowest carbon footprint and suggesting it transition to a technology that depends on manufactured energy. This move would have significant environmental repercussions. It would also have economic repercussions for the families of 7,000 middle-class workers in B.C, negatively impacting the health and wellness of coastal communities.”

Twitter post by Paul Withers @Withersbc

Canadian aquaculture industry attacks Trudeau platform to phase out open net pen salmon farms in BC as a “reckless” and “irresponsible” policy not based on science. Regional industry associations from Atlantic Canada are signatories to a joint statement condemning the Libs.

Not based on any credible scientific evidence

Canadian Aquaculture Alliance CEO Timothy Kennedy in a press release said: “This is a reckless policy, not grounded in science, and it will threaten good middle-class jobs across Canada”.
In the same publication, current dean of the faculty of Science and Technology at Vancouver Island University Don Noakes who authored a paper on that urged the Canadian government increase aquaculture production, said that: “I can only speculate on the reasons for this policy pledge but it is certainly not based on any credible scientific evidence. Canada has enormous potential for significant increases in aquaculture production but this policy is counterproductive to say the least.”

Trudeau government targets B.C. fish farming

A pledge made by more than 50 federal candidates of various political stripes in B.C. to shut down open-net salmon farming in B.C. by 2025 has made it into the federal Liberal Party’s platform, to shock and dismay of the salmon farming industry and First Nations that depend on it.
Wildfirst, an anti-fish farm lobby group backed by high-profile B.C. business people, has collected pledges by more than 50 federal candidates in B.C., of all political stripes, who have committed to the phase-out of open net fish farms by 2025.

Wildfirst is dedicated to “the removal of salmon farms from pacific coastal waters as soon as possible.” So far, eight federal Liberal candidates in B.C. have signed the Wildfirst pledge committing to the phase-out of open-net salmon farms. Twenty-one B.C. NDP candidates have signed it. No Conservative candidates in B.C. have yet signed the pledge. To date, federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has not responded to the Wildfirst request to sign its pledge.

But it’s now irrelevant whether Wilkinson or any other Liberal candidate in Canada agrees with the pledge or not because it’s now an official Liberal Party plank.
“In British Columbia, we will work with the province to develop a responsible plan to transition from open net pen salmon farming in coastal waters to closed containment systems by 2025,” the Liberal platform states.
John Paul Fraser, executive director of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, said the new Liberal campaign promise is shocking, and suggests it knee-caps the Liberal government’s own fisheries minister.
“He just got screwed by his own party,” Fraser said.
He said Wilkinson has worked with various interest groups and stakeholders in B.C. to convene a special advisory group to look at salmon farming, and commissioned a study that looked at various technology approaches for sustainable aquaculture.
“His party just decided that everything that has gone into that report, and all the time those people have spent around that committee table…don’t bother meeting anymore, because it’s been decided for you,” Fraser said.
Wilkinson’s office has not yet responded to questions from Business in Vancouver.
The problem with the promise to phase out open net salmon farms and move them onto land in just six years is that land-based systems have not yet proven to be economically viable.
And if they ever do, at some point, it may make more sense to locate them close to their markets – San Francisco, for example, as opposed to Campbell River or Alert Bay.
"This is a reckless policy, not grounded in science, and it will threaten good middle-class jobs  across Canada," said Timothy Kennedy, CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Alliance.
Stewart Muir, executive director for Resource Works, was shocked to see the promise to phase out open-net fish farms make it into the Liberal platform, released Monday, September 30.
“If they want to do this, they should be more honest and simply say it’s a Liberal commitment to end employment for 6,000 people on the B.C. coast and close down the most valuable British Columbia agricultural export,” Muir said.
Some First Nations in B.C. are adamantly opposed to fish farming and want it shut down. Others depend on the industry for jobs and lease revenue.
Chief John Smith of Tlowitsis First Nation near Campbell River says he was shocked to learn the federal Liberal Party has targeted B.C.’s fish farming industry.
Smith said his band has an agreement with Grieg Seafood Canada that provides his band with about $1 million in revenue annually – revenue that would be lost if open-net salmon farms are shut down.
“We’ve been working with the fish farms for quite a few years now, and we’re very happy with it because it provides us with a steady source of income,” he said. “It’s not like forestry, which is up and down like a yo-yo. And we don’t have any other industries.”
Don Noakes, former director of the Pacific Biological Station and current dean of the faculty of Science and Technology at Vancouver Island University, sees the Liberal plank on salmon farming as a backwards step.
Noakes authored a paper last year, Oceans of Opportunity, that urged the Canadian government increase aquaculture production.
Aquaculture is the source of animal protein that has the smallest environmental footprint, in terms of energy, land and water use and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable aquaculture is supported by conservation groups like World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy.
“I can only speculate on the reasons for this policy pledge but it is certainly not based on any credible scientific evidence,” Noakes said in an emailed statement to Business in Vancouver. “Canada has enormous potential for significant increases in aquaculture production but this policy is counterproductive to say the least.”

“I was shocked and angered”: Business owner attacks PM’s plan to end open-net salmon farms in B.C.

Heather Clarke, owner of Poseidon Ocean Systems, which designs and manufactures open-net pens in the ocean, brands the policy, which is to affect British Columbia, “horrible” and says she has had staff members asking her if their jobs are safe. 
The reaction comes following a policy announcement by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week, where he pledged in his manifesto to end open-net pen salmon farms and replace them with closed-containment pens by 2025.
Yesterday, Salmon Business reported a heartfelt plea by a salmon farm worker who was worried the policy would ‘end her career’ she as she knew it.
Shocked
But now, speaking to Salmon Business from the Campbell River, in British Columbia, Ms Clarke says she’s now worried about her business.
She said: “I think the announcement caught a lot of people off guard. Myself included. The Liberal government has been working with the industry and indigenous groups, and those who are in opposition to our industry, we’ve been working together and making great strides.”

“It seems this policy came out of nowhere and more or less surprised everyone. As a business owner and someone who is dependent on this industry, I was shocked and angered that this type of pandering for voters who are so far removed from the industry, that they genuinely don’t have the facts. They’re kind of willing to believe anyone that they’re willing to talk about.”
She added: “But policies like this I don’t think are attainable because of the timeline on it. The technology isn’t there, if it was there, we’d be seeing more people move to those types of facilities. Any time you can move from unknowns to knowns, businesses would want to move but they haven’t because it’s not feasible.”
Impact
Ms Clarke says she doesn’t know the actual impact on her business yet, but she has had “terrified” staff approach her about their jobs.
She said: “We have 25 staff members. They’re engineers, they’re very well-paid individuals. They’re technical jobs. Those types of jobs are few and far between. I know that it’s terrifying for our staff members who are looking to myself and husband for what it means.”
She says she thinks it’s a “horrible” policy which gives legitimacy to the claims of the activists and anti-fish farm campaigners.
She said: “Those in opposition who live in our communities, I don’t think they fully think that part through: how many are employed, what it means for the communities, tax bases etc. In a thriving economy, aquaculture supports the bus services, the coffee shops. So, it’s things like that that start to scribble up when an industry exits.”
“For people working on the farms, where are they going to transition? What industry is going to pick up that amount of workers? They’re definitely skilled, but they’re not doctors. Where are they going to transition to? And what’s that going to mean for the local economy?”
“I would say to Mr Trudeau base your policies on science, stop pandering to voters who are so far removed from industry. Be a leader. Be a leader who actually cares about the environment, food scarcity, and base your leadership on sound science. That’s what the industry has based itself on. We’ve got so many technical people: scientists, vets, engineers, there’s a tremendous amount of people with scientific backgrounds and we wouldn’t all be working in this industry if we thought it was as destructive as some activists make it out to be. I just don’t believe as humans we would do it.”

“What I love to do would cease to exist”: Fish farm worker in B.C. issues plea over plan to end open-pen farming.

Sorin Hamm, who works as a sea site technician for Mowi-owned fish farms in British Columbia, in Canada, calls on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to come and see what work she does, and not to believe those who are against fish farms. 

Earlier this month, in the Liberal Party’s 2019 manifesto, Mr Trudeau announced that he would end open-pen salmon farming along the West coast and move to a system of closed containment by 2025.
It said on page 36: “In British Columbia, we will work with the province to develop a responsible plan to transition from open net-pen salmon farming in coastal waters to closed containment systems by 2025.”
The policy was slammed by local fish farming groups, who branded it ‘careless’ and ‘destructive’.
And now, a worker has accused Mr Trudeau of ‘caving to public scrutiny’ in a heartfelt plea to Salmon Business.
The B.C. Salmon Farmers’ Association estimates that 7,000 jobs would be affected if the move to end open-net pen salmon farming went ahead. Many jobs could end up going East or to countries such as Chile.
Sorin Hamm, who’s 26 and has worked on Mowi-owned fish farms for more than three years, said her career as she currently knows it ‘would be over’.
Ms Hamm, who lives in the Comox Valley, told Salmon Business: “My career as I know it would be over. Sure, there would be a job on land, but what I love to do would cease to exist.”
“The lifestyle that we enjoy out at sea would be gone. I also can’t see production being as plentiful on land for environmental and cost reasons so those jobs would be few, and the wild stocks would have to make up for the lost product on the international market.”
The mother-of-one, who is expecting another baby any day now, told Salmon Business she wants Mr Trudeau to ‘take a tour of a sea site, ask questions and observe’. She said: “I would ask that they take a tour of a sea site, ask questions, observe, and then discuss the scientific findings of real scientists.”
“This, instead of just caving to public scrutiny, which is based on fear and doubt, and the unknown presented by people claiming to be versed in science. I would like to have Mr. Trudeau observe my live fish checks and see the gentle but thorough examination of the stock for health and lice, it’s not uncommon for a fish to have not a single louse despite them being so plentiful in nature regardless of farm sites.”
“To see the attention to detail up close, the wall of binders logging extensive daily, weekly, monthly, and annual protocols. I think really seeing what we do would open people’s eyes to an industry that the public is so misled about. For example, you can see one photo of a fish at the edge of the pen on it’s last legs, damaged from the transfer to the site, and use that to enrage the public.”
“The runts and injured fish don’t get hunted and consumed immediately as they would in nature, they can live a long time with the protection of the pens. You can also show them the other 99.9% of fish in the pen, big, lively, beautiful. Scales shining, gorgeous body condition, thick and healthy. I am so proud of the stock I raise!”

Currently, there are no salmon farms in federal waters.

Despite state multiple bans on fish farms the president is seeking an overhaul in federally controlled waters.

According to alaskafishradio, the U.S. Commerce Department is to hold meetings around the country throughout November to talk about its strategic plan for fish farms.
Currently, there are no salmon farms in federal waters.

In June, a bill was introduced called the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act to facilitate the permitting process for aquaculture farms in federal waters, and fund research and development to advance the aquaculture industry.
The New National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (OAA) director Chris Oliver, said at a recent session in Juneau, Alaska that wild harvests can’t keep up with global demand.
“Aquaculture is going to be where the major increases in seafood production occur whether it happens in foreign countries or in United States waters.”

Alaska bans fish farming in state waters, but Trump is pushing for sites in federally controlled waters, from three to 200 miles offshore.
On the site, Under Secretary of Commerce Timothy Gallaudet cited climate change in his pitch for fish farms.
“Some of the changes in the environment are affecting fish stocks. They are either moving or they’re not thriving and so this aquaculture, done the right way and scientifically based, provides a means for employment of fishermen who are losing some of their gain through these changing conditions.”

Alaska wary of federal push for marine aquaculture.

The U.S. has a seafood trade deficit. The Trump administration’s answer is to promote aquaculture in federal waters. That’s alarmed some who see this as a threat to Alaska’s longstanding ban on fish farms.
Listen now

During a recent stop in Juneau, NOAA Fisheries chief Chris Oliver said that wild seafood harvests alone can’t keep up with rising global demand.
But there’s another way.
“Aquaculture is going to be where the major increases in seafood production occur whether it happens in foreign countries or in United States waters,” Oliver told a room of fishermen, seafood marketing executives and marine scientists.

Aquaculture is a broad term: it’s farming in the sea. That could be shellfish like oysters or seaweed which Alaska permits. But it also includes fish farms — which Alaska does not allow.
The nation’s federal waters are vast. They begin three miles offshore and extend 200 nautical miles. There isn’t any aquaculture in federal waters — yet.

Acting U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Timothy Gallaudet said during a Juneau visit that streamlining regulations and boosting aquaculture production – both part of the Commerce Department’s 2018-2022 strategic plan – could help change that.
“As we look to the ocean to continue to support human society, aquaculture is going to be a growing factor,” Gallaudet said.

There’s a bill pending in the U.S. Senate that could decide how federal aquaculture is regulated. It’s being backed by an industry group called Stronger America Through Seafood.

Campaign Manager Margaret Henderson said Alaska’s ability to ban offshore fish farms remains a sticking point on Capitol Hill.
“We in no way mean to impede a state’s authority to manage their own waters,” Henderson said in an interview. “But when it comes to managing federal waters outside the state line we think that there’s a balance to be had there, that there’s there’s room for both.”
The state is well aware that its ban on offshore finfish farming is at stake.
“I think it’s safe to say that we’re going to fight pretty hard to maintain the state’s opt-out option and maintain the ability to prohibit finfish farming off of Alaska,” Sam Rabung, chief of Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s aquaculture division, said.

There are two main arguments against finfish farming.

One is environmental: farmed fish can escape, like what happened last year in Washington State, when hundreds of thousands of Atlantic salmon broke free from their pen and traveled miles up rivers in the Pacific Northwest
The other argument is economic.
“If you increase supply, prior to increasing demand or without the effort to increase demand, your prices drop,” Julie Decker, executive director of the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, said.

Decker recalled how in the 1980s, Alaska was the largest salmon producer. That changed, she said, when cheap farmed salmon entered the market.
“The end of the salmon story at this stage is there’s millions more people eating salmon, than they were back in 1980,” Decker said. “But it was a very painful adjustment period.”
Federal commerce officials heard about that from Verner Wilson III. He grew up on Bristol Bay but now works for Friends of the Earth, which co-authored a letter to lawmakers opposing the aquaculture bill.
“The flooding of farmed salmon in the 1990s created so much hurt and pain for my family and Alaska salmon fishermen throughout the state from Bristol Bay right here to Juneau,” Wilson said.

Gallaudet said offshore fish farms wouldn’t be imposed on Alaska.
But in his pitch for aquaculture he alluded to the elephant in the room: climate change.
“Some of the changes in the environment are affecting fish stocks,” Gallaudet said. “They are either moving or they’re not thriving and so this aquaculture, done the right way and scientifically based, provides a means for employment of fishermen who are losing some of their gain through these changing conditions.”

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office said he supports Alaska’s right to opt out.
“He will not support any legislation that endangers our world class fisheries or negatively impacts Alaska’s robust seafood industry,” Sullivan’s spokesman Mike Anderson wrote in a statement. “Further, any federal legislation he would support must respect Alaska’s current prohibition.”
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski hasn’t taken a position.

«Stronger America Through Seafood» - Our Mission - www.strongerthroughseafood.org

Our Mission : Securing a stronger America through increased U.S. production of healthful, sustainable, and affordable seafood.

Practical:  «Stronger America Through Seafood» via www.strongerthroughseafood.org brings together a diverse board of directors from various backgrounds. With corporate support from contributors including: Cargill, Pacific Seafood, Taylor Shellfish, Pontos Aqua Advisory, Sysco, Pentair, High Liner Foods, Red Lobster, Harvest Select, Woods Hole Group, and Fortune International, LLC, we have the momentum and voice to influence U.S. policymakers to enact legislation establishing a workable regulatory framework for all U.S. Aquaculture production.

Advocacy:  Our immediate focus is at the federal level with a two-pronged approach to initiate change.  The first is through the passage of legislation similar to S. 3138 The AQUAA Act. The Second is through Executive branch action to increase efficiency of existing aquaculture regulations.  

Vision: Increasing Americans’ access to healthful, sustainable and affordable seafood is simple: The U.S. must produce more of its own. The strength and vitality of the U.S. seafood industry creates American jobs, strengthens food security, and through innovative technology, is the future of sustainable sources of healthy protein.  Unfortunately, U.S. seafood production is constrained by extraordinary regulatory hurdles, a misinformed public perception of environmental impact, and limited capital investment to improve technology. The immediate objective of Stronger America Through Seafood is to create a more positive federal regulatory environment for seafood production through federal legislation and rulemaking which will be necessary prior to addressing the other challenges.

Challenge: All Americans deserve access to healthful, sustainable and affordable seafood. For optimum health, the USDA’s 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating at least eight ounces of seafood per week[1], yet the average per capita supply of seafood available for Americans to eat is two pounds less per year than recommendations[2]. Ironically, while the U.S. has the second largest territorial waters in the world, it remains 16th in seafood production. According to USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), American consumption of seafood may be limited by other factors, including a lack of awareness about the health benefits, higher retail prices relative to other proteins like beef and poultry, a static supply of wild fish, and concerns about the safety of imported seafood which make up nearly 90% of the seafood available for Americans today.

Sources:

https://salmonbusiness.com/trump-administration-pushes-for-offshore-fish-farms-across-us-federal-waters/

http://www.alaskafishradio.com/offshore-fish-farms-for-nearly-all-us-federal-waters-pushed-by-trump-administration/

https://www.strongerthroughseafood.org

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/09/06/alaska-wary-of-federal-push-for-marine-aquaculture/

Industry group pushing for more aquaculture in the United States
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/aquaculture/industry-group-pushing-for-more-aquaculture-in-the-united-states

Wicker Introduces Bill to Advance American Aquaculture - Releases - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker
https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/6/wicker-introduces-bill-to-advance-american-aquaculture

https://salmonbusiness.com/justin-trudeaus-government-targets-b-c-s-salmon-farming-industry/

Challenge #7 - Salmon Escapes, Facts on Norway’s latest decade of Farmed Salmon Escapes - Rømninger - Handlingsplan og tiltak

2019 Law changes in Canada and USA influence and impact new 2019-2020 Norway workprocedures organisational structure permits licences penalties permit withdrawals regulations and even new laws, as well as vice versa !!

2019 : Norway’s four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes

Norway’s industry association Sjømatbedriftene, with its CEO Robert Eriksson, has early October 2019 established four 4 concrete new countermeasures for salmon escapes, which have been presented to the Minister for Seafood and Fisheries, Harald Tom Nesvik. In this way Norway’s farmers can be secured improvements in planning and correct work procedures in one’s organisation.

1. Establish clear competency requirements
2. Enforce greater responsibility on the farming companies to recapture escaped fish
3. Stop the permit granting (Licence or Concession) for farming companies that has incurred repeated fish escapes during the last two years
4. Mandatory enforcement of reduction in production (volumes) for farming companies that conciously evades to file a report on fish escapes.

Visjonen er null rømte laks, og sammen skal vi jobbe enda tøffere for å få ned tallet på laks som rømmer, sier Nesvik. OppdrettsNæringen har også jobbet godt med dette de siste ti årene, men så lenge det fortsatt rømmer fisk er det ikke godt nok. Rømmingsproblemene i oppdrettsnæringen er i 2019 igjen på agendaen til Fiskeri- og sjømatminister, Sjømat Norge, Sjømatbedriftene, Kystrederiene og Norsk Industri. Til syvende og sist er det oppdretternes ansvar å sørge for at fisken holder seg inne i merden, sier fiskeri- og sjømatministeren. Sjømatbedriftene har allerede kommet med fire konkrete tiltak de mener kan få bedre kontroll på fiske, slik at man kan unngå rømminger. Et av tiltakene innebærer at selskaper med gjentatte rømminger de to siste årene, ikke skal tilbys vekst. Nå vil jeg se handling fra næringen, og har bedt organisasjonene om å komme med konkrete tiltak innen én uke. Da vil jeg ha svar på hvilke tiltak de mener vil få ned antall rømmingshendelser og som kan iverksettes raskt, sier Nesvik. Myndighetene bruker store ressurser på å føre tilsyn, og regjeringen har økt midlene for overvåkning av rømt fisk i elver. I 2017 ble det dessuten innført en ny strategi mot rømming, med fem prioriterte områder: Kunnskap, erfaringsformidling og dialog, sterk sikkerhetskultur, effektive sikkerhetsregler og faglig beredskap. I tillegg jobber Fiskeridirektoratet for å avdekke årsakene til alle rømminger.
Muligheten for at det har rømt laks vurderes normalt i senere år til å være svært liten. Lokalitetene gjennomfører likevel kontrollfiske i en periode avtalt med Fiskeridirektoratet. 2017 representerte et bunnår med rekordlave 22.409 rømninger fra norske oppdrettsanlegg. De to siste årene 2018-2019 har tallet imidlertid økt kraftig. En unormal rømningshendelse var slik som her. En operatør på Lerøy Midt sitt tilvekstsenter på Hitra observerte en makrellstørje inne i en av merdene på lokalitet Kjørsvikgrunnen. Det ble umiddelbart satt i verk tiltak i henhold til beredskapsplanen med utsett av gjenfangstgarn og tilkalling av dykker. Dialog skal ha blitt opprettet med Fiskeridirektoratet gjennom varslingstjenesten. Det spesielle nå er at
2019 ligger an til å bli året med flest rømminger siden 2011, altså en bratt økning fra senere års konstant fallende trend, med nærmere 300.000 laks på rømmen i 2019 og mer enn 30 hendelser.
Mye tyder dermed på at 2019 blir året med flest oppdrettsrømninger siden 2011. Det er særlig en rømningshendelse fra et settefiskanlegg i sommer (Fjordsmolt, red. anm.) som trekker opp tallene i år. Her rømte det 203 000 fisk, hvorav 105 000 er gjenfanget. I tillegg er antall hendelser med rømming noe høyere enn på samme tid i 2018. I 2018 ble det registrert over 160.000 lakserømninger, og per september i 2019 er det rømt mer laks enn de to foregående årene til sammen. I midten av september hadde Fiskeridirektoratet mottatt 33 rapporter om rømningshendelser fra oppdrettere på om lag 280.000 laks og 2000 regnbueørret. Særlig de siste månedene i 2019 har vært preget av flere store enkelthendelser.

Over two-thirds of all salmon and trout that escaped last year 2018 in Norway belonged to this salmon farmer - Over 100,000 fish escaped from Mowi ASA.

Mowi had the most escapes in 2018. In June last year, the company had imposed on it a two-year environmental monitoring in eight rivers after extensive escapes during the winter. In the beginning of February last year, 54,000 salmon escaped from the Geitryggen locality in Nærøy municipality, Mid-Norway. Shortly after, around 52,000 fish escaped from the Austvika locality in Flatanger municipality, Mid-Norway.
“Mowi works systematically throughout the organisation to prevent fish escaping from our facilities. Nevertheless, 2018 was unfortunately a bad escape for us. We have gone through the events of last year and implemented the necessary changes to prevent similar things from happening again. Although it is demanding and will mean major changes, we are sure that we will be able to reach our goal of no escapes from Mowi nets,” wrote Mowi’s communications manager, Ola Helge Hjetland, in an e-mail to SalmonBusiness.

Norway draws line over number of escaped salmon, as latest numbers revised upwards
By Undercurrent News
Sep. 27, 2019 09:57 BST

Norway's fisheries minister, Harald Nesvik, has called on the nation's salmon farmers to reduce the number of escapes, after a particularly bad period of fish losses.
"We have to work even harder to get the numbers down on salmon escaping," he said. "That is why, for example, the industry is inviting a meeting to correct how we can take this together."
Recently, there have been more escapes from Norwegian fish farms. So far this year, the directorate of fisheries has flagged more than 30 reports of escapes, totaling some 280,000 individuals, it said. 
"With a goal of zero fish on the run, this is simply not a place the industry can live. The industry is expected to learn lessons from these events and sharpen their routines. We already have strict rules, and the governing powers have resources to think about," said Nesvik.
This comes after one of the most recent escapes -- suffered by Slakteriet Brekke, in Gulen municipality -- saw estimates of missing fish revised upwards. When first reported, the directorate said 10,000 fish may have escaped, but now it fears that number is closer to 17,200.
The fish were also suffering from pancreas disease, the producer said in a press release.

Land-based or Ocean-based; it is about how it is managed - Ref. Canada’s history on Salmon Escapes

While Fisheries and Oceans Canada may pay more attention to farmers’ containment management systems (CMS) than they had in the past, “I know the regulations we have in B.C. are strong and sound," Jeremy Dunn, executive director of the British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association in British Columbia, Canada, told SeafoodSource. “There have been significant changes to how our members are regulating and their record of compliance has been 100 percent over the past few years.” In the first few years of ocean-based farming in the province, at least 100,000 fish total likely escaped, according to Dunn. However, over the past four or five years, escapes have fallen to low double digits of individual fish escaping annually.
Legislators’ assertions that ocean-based aquaculture has more negative impacts on the environment than land-based aquaculture is “not supported by the science,” Sebastian Belle, executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Association, told SeafoodSource.

For example, after Maine aquaculture producers and environmental groups jointly developed a rigorous containment management system after several meetings in 2002, they found that fish escapes from land-based farms – while very minimal – were higher than from ocean-based farms. Since the CMS was implemented in Maine, there has been only one fish escape incident, which happened to be ocean-based.

“I don’t believe it matters whether it [the farm] is land-based or ocean-based; it is how it is managed,” Belle said.

“I am concerned that the policy reaction might not be advised by the best science,” Sebastian Belle said. “I worked for a regulatory agency at one point in my career, and I learned that, when you develop public policy in the context of some event that is controversial, often the public policy is not as well thought-through as it might be.”

“Any time there is an event that happens close to home, regulators and governments are going to be aware and are going to review the plans they have in place and the regulations they have for dealing with things,” Jeremy Dunn, executive director of the British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association in British Columbia, Canada, told SeafoodSource.

2019 : ASF Calls Effects from Salmon Die-Off a Major Environmental Disaster - Fish farm deaths, escapes raise concerns about Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture industry.

In a large 2019 incident involving Northern Harvest Sea Farms in Canada owned by MOWI, the Mowi corporation says half of Eastern Canada farmed salmon dead, admits failure in reporting mortalities. The salmon mortalities reached 2.6 million fish, the company said. Accordingly then, The Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government suspended 10 of 13 sites licensed in Atlantic Canada to salmon farming giant Mowi "until further notice," In 2019 a mass salmon die-off at a Newfoundland fish farm last month has highlighted environmental risks and transparency issues facing the region’s growing aquaculture industry as some Atlantic provinces pin economic hopes on its development.
Northern Harvest Sea Farms, owned by the Norwegian company Mowi, attributed the deaths to an extended period of high water temperatures, between 17 and 21 C. The incident was reported shortly after news that about 1,000 farmed salmon escaped from a Cooke Aquaculture site in New Brunswick. Neville Crabbe, spokesman for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, said the incidents highlight the environmental and transparency risks that come with aquaculture, particularly around open net pen salmon farming. Crabbe said changes to aquaculture policy announced in Newfoundland and Labrador last week and a review of New Brunswick’s Aquaculture Act are good steps toward a more sustainable industry. But with the ongoing development of a federal Aquaculture Act, announced by federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson last December, Crabbe said a “jurisdictional tug of war” over regulations has created more confusion around what Atlantic Canada’s growing aquaculture sector will look like.
«I think right now it’s fair to say governance of the entire industry is somewhat in flux,” he said. «While there’s a push to rapidly expand, I think there’s also some pullback now from within government to say ‘Whoa guys, let’s slow down here.’”

The Atlantic Salmon Federation estimates about 1.8-million salmon were affected in the mass die-off on the island’s south coast. Director of Programs with the ASF, Don Ivany says they have yet to hear anything ‘official,’ but they place their estimates at about 9,000 tonnes of rotting salmon. That translates into about 1.8-million fish in 72 net pens across a 30-kilometre section of shoreline on the south coast. As comparison, the average blue whale can weigh as much as 200 tonnes. Ivany calls it a major environmental disaster. He says all of the organic material dumped into the water leads to nutrification and algae blooms—both of which strip oxygen from the water. He says you also get changes to the ecology with a lot of microscopic organisms beginning to feed on it, leading to the whole ecosystem being changed.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation believes a public investigation needs to happen.

Tension between federal and provincial wishes for aquaculture in Canada has popped up in 2019 as an election issue, and one item in the federal Liberal election platform released Sunday has sparked concern within the industry. The party says it will develop a plan to move British Columbia from open net salmon farming to closed containment by 2025. (!!)

Washington new 2019 law that would phase out net-pen aquaculture for non-native species, such as Atlantic salmon - Ref. Status on farming in US states!

In 2017 a total of 160,000 fish were still on the loose since Atlantic salmon escaped from the Cooke Aquaculture net off Cypress Island in August 2017. The reason was a fish farm belonging to Cooke collapsed at the Cypress Island farm site #2 off the state of Washington on the US Pacific Coast. “I don’t have details on who built the cage or who specifically worked on the farm in July. I do know this cage was due for replacement and reorientation and we had submitted permit applications to do this work. The farm system was to be replaced after this group of fish was harvested – which was scheduled for this fall,” says Cooke. In a press release, Gov. Jay Inslee and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz say that the state will not issue any new leases or permits for marine Atlantic salmon net pens until a full review of this incident has been completed. The total number of fish recovered from the damaged farm site is 142,176. The site is now clear of fish. That means over 160,000 fish escaped from the farm, as the total number was orignally 305,000 fish.

Cooke Seafood’s Washington woes in the USA are noteable today. It was the escape of between 160,000-263,0000 Atlantic salmon -- the precise number is in dispute -- from a Cooke net pen facility near Cypress Island in August 2017 that led to the passage of a critical bill for the Seafood industry. In March 2018 the Washington's governor, Democrat Jay Inslee, signed a bill into law that would phase out net-pen aquaculture for non-native species, such as Atlantic salmon. The law took effect 60 days after the signing.

Cooke Aquaculture’s acquisition of Icicle Seafoods gave the Canadian firm access to Atlantic salmon farms in Washington state, in the US Pacific northwest. Joel Richardson, a spokesman for Cooke, told Undercurrent News that the company is looking at its options. «Maybe we should look at farming other species. Maybe we should look at not having any operations there at all. There are all kinds of options that we need to consider right now. All of those different options are on the table at this point in time,» he said.

“The Unified Incident Command”, Washington state

The Unified Incident Command, which is made up of state and other agencies, has been set up to coordinate investigations into why the fish farm collapsed.

New EU project addresses fish farm escapes

https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/aquaculture/new-eu-project-addresses-fish-farm-escapes

Challenge #8 - Algae Bloom & Oxygen Depletion

Various types of difficult and unpredictable circumstances such as algal blooms jellyfish and diseases will be an increasing concerns in years to come.

Norway's salmon biomass holds steady in 2019 despite deadly algal bloom.

Kontali: Algae losses offset by strong growth
The losses experienced as a result of Norway's recent algal bloom were offset by stronger feed sales and growth in May, research consultancy company Kontali Analyse said in latest report. Biomass losses were between 13,000 and14,000 metric tons in total, however, Norwegian salmon exports surged. Despite increased salmon mortality from the algal bloom in Norway last month, the Norwegian Seafood Federation said the country's overall biomass is near the same levels as the year prior. The reason comes from increased harvests counterbalancing the number of dead salmon recorded

The Algal bloom has wiped out millions of salmon in northern Norway. Analyst: Algal bloom could wipe out 1% of Norway's salmon biomass. The algal bloom reported in Northern Norway in May 2019 is spreading in Nordland and has hit two new sites, according to reports from salmon farmers on Monday. The event is the worst algal bloom in Norway in three decades. Norwegian aquaculture consultancy agency Kontali Analyse anticipates salmon harvests to drop more than 20,000 metric tons this season 2019 because of the algal bloom, its latest report reveals.

Kontali on algal bloom: Expect 'drastic changes' to harvest volume. Prior to the algal bloom, Kontali estimated half of the global supply of salmon --1.32 million metric tons -- coming from Norway this year, a 5.4 percent increase from last year. However, the situation changes "drastically" with the bloom.

The algal bloom has wiped out more than 11,600 metric tons of salmon in northern Norway so far.
Nine companies have been affected so far by the bloom. The weight of the dead fish varies from 700 grams to 5.5 kilos. Per May 24 2019 the catastrophic algal bloom has wiped out a value of NOK 800 million (€82.1 million/$91.9 million) worth of farmed salmon till now. The algal bloom had wiped out a value of around 7.1 million fish by Sunday May 26, the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate reports. Losses in Nordland county ran to 3.7 million fish (6,400 metric tons) with Troms having lost 4 million (Troms 6,800 metric tons).

Norwegian salmon giant SalMar was forced to harvest salmon ahead of time at one of its centers in the vicinity of the spreading algal bloom, Olav-Andreas Ervik, CEO of SalMar, said during the company’s quarterly presentation.
«It is a tragic situation for many farmers,» said Ervik. Mortality rates at the affected sites were "very high."
"[Of the companies reporting losses] it's all from quite marginal to nearly 90 percent. Insurers only cover about 20 percent of production costs in the event of an algal bloom. Farmers will have to bear a lot of profit loss in the event, according to the Norwegian insurer Gjensidige. All salmon breeders have insurance covering algal blooms but only the cost of exposing smolt, feeding and work up to the time of the injury. The Norwegian industry association Sjømatbedriftenes CEO Robert Eriksson has called on the Norwegian government for a compensation scheme for salmon farmers' hit by the recent algal bloom, especially since agricultural farmers received around NOK 2.5 billion (€256.4 million/$285.6 million) following a brutal drought last year.

Algal bloom likely to have 'significant impact' on global salmon supply

The chrysochromulina leadbeateri algal bloom is likely to have a “significant impact” on salmon supply in the 2019-20 year, according to an update by equity research group ABG Sundal Collier.
The supply reduction could translate into a significant increase in salmon prices.
Norwegian salmon prices surged at least NOK 10 (€1/$1.10) per kilo this week, although there are mixed opinions about where the market is headed. Most of the dead fish from the algal bloom have been cleared from the affected farms, which led to a dramatic rise in prices initially, an exporter told IntraFish. However, prices may go down following the bloom, according to another breeder. Big gaps exist in the larger-sized fish prices. So Norwegian salmon prices were ‘very divergent’.

Scientist: 'Salmon farmers are not to blame for algal bloom'. Scientists at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research said salmon farmers cannot be blamed for the algal bloom that’s hit the coasts of Troms and Nordland, reports NRK. “Salmon farming cannot possibly be the cause of this algae bloom. There is a relatively low density of farmed salmon in these areas. Claims that farmers are to blame for the algal bloom are wrong.

The toxic algae was confirmed as chrysochromulina, a strain that also bloomed in Norway in 1991 causing widespread salmon. In June 2019 the Algae levels was falling, and the authorities remained on standby. There are signs of lover algae numbers and that the bloom/species is less harmful. High concentrations of algae have continued without causing fish to die and algae bloom may appear in smaller areas, Norway's Fisheries Directorate reports. Authorities plan to continue to make daily assessments and gradually step down emergency preparedness over the week if the situation improves further.

Algal bloom disaster prompts new interest in warning system

Norwegian marine research institute Sintef is hoping the recent algal bloom that hit northern Norway's salmon production will spur funding for a tool that could alert the industry to future outbreaks. Sintef began work on the system eight years ago to try to reduce the impact of exactly the type of problem that recently occurred in Lofoten. But at the time, it was not easy to get funding, and research had to be shelved, said Sintef.

2019 : ASF in Canada Calls Effects from Salmon Die-Off a Major Environmental Disaster - Fish farm deaths, escapes raise concerns about Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture industry.

In a large 2019 incident involving Northern Harvest Sea Farms in Canada owned by MOWI, the Mowi corporation says half of Eastern Canada farmed salmon dead, admits failure in reporting mortalities. The salmon mortalities reached 2.6 million fish, the company said. Accordingly then, The Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government suspended 10 of 13 sites licensed in Atlantic Canada to salmon farming giant Mowi "until further notice," In 2019 a mass salmon die-off at a Newfoundland fish farm last month has highlighted environmental risks and transparency issues facing the region’s growing aquaculture industry as some Atlantic provinces pin economic hopes on its development.
Northern Harvest Sea Farms, owned by the Norwegian company Mowi, attributed the deaths to an extended period of high water temperatures, between 17 and 21 C. The incident was reported shortly after news that about 1,000 farmed salmon escaped from a Cooke Aquaculture site in New Brunswick. Neville Crabbe, spokesman for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, said the incidents highlight the environmental and transparency risks that come with aquaculture, particularly around open net pen salmon farming. Crabbe said changes to aquaculture policy announced in Newfoundland and Labrador last week and a review of New Brunswick’s Aquaculture Act are good steps toward a more sustainable industry. But with the ongoing development of a federal Aquaculture Act, announced by federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson last December, Crabbe said a “jurisdictional tug of war” over regulations has created more confusion around what Atlantic Canada’s growing aquaculture sector will look like.
«I think right now it’s fair to say governance of the entire industry is somewhat in flux,” he said. «While there’s a push to rapidly expand, I think there’s also some pullback now from within government to say ‘Whoa guys, let’s slow down here.’”

The Atlantic Salmon Federation estimates about 1.8-million salmon were affected in the mass die-off on the island’s south coast. Director of Programs with the ASF, Don Ivany says they have yet to hear anything ‘official,’ but they place their estimates at about 9,000 tonnes of rotting salmon. That translates into about 1.8-million fish in 72 net pens across a 30-kilometre section of shoreline on the south coast. As comparison, the average blue whale can weigh as much as 200 tonnes. Ivany calls it a major environmental disaster. He says all of the organic material dumped into the water leads to nutrification and algae blooms—both of which strip oxygen from the water. He says you also get changes to the ecology with a lot of microscopic organisms beginning to feed on it, leading to the whole ecosystem being changed.
The Atlantic Salmon Federation believes a public investigation needs to happen.

Jeffrey Hutchings, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University, said it’s very possible warmer-than-usual water temperatures contributed to the die-off. But it’s the combination with an “unnaturally high density” of distressed salmon in crowded cages that causes problems, he said. «I’d say to regulators, we need to think about the sustainability of such an industry in a warming climate,” he said. “It’s natural for fish to die, but it’s not natural for this amount of fish to die and in such a small area over a short period of time.” Keith Sullivan, president of Unifor’s Fish Food and Allied Workers Union, said regulations need to change to prevent similar problems at other fish farms. That may include imposing stricter rules around where salmon cages can be placed and lowering stocking densities, he said.

Tension between federal and provincial wishes for aquaculture in Canada has popped up in 2019 as an election issue, and one item in the federal Liberal election platform released Sunday has sparked concern within the industry. The party says it will develop a plan to move British Columbia from open net salmon farming to closed containment by 2025. (!!)

Salmones Camanchaca deploying new anti-algae tech in all farms

Meanwhile, over in Chile, Salmones Camanchaca is implementing a new technology to dissipate algae at all its salmon sites to prevent accidents such as the deadly bloom reported by the company this summer. The Camanchaca company saw sanitary conditions at the sites worsen in the summer of 2019 – December to March – caused by higher temperatures and a lack of wind and rains. These conditions provoked an algal bloom that killed 0.4 percent of the company’s biomass in algal blooms.” The company has biomass insurance coverage for algal blooms. Camanchaca is currently farming 2.2 million fish in the vicinity of Pilpilehue site. The industry in Chile is no stranger to the damage that can be done by algal blooms and suffered a similar crisis in 2016.

Mowi’s Northern Harvest blames mass fish die-off on warm water in September 2019.

Canada's Northern Harvest Sea Farms, which Norway's Mowi ASA purchased in 2018, has suffered from a mass die-off of salmon at its Newfoundland and Labrador farms. The company, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, has not disclosed how many fish have been lost in die-offs that began in early September but processing plant workers have been furloughed due to a lack of fish.
The farm's spokesman, Jason Card, said that salmon normally thrive in water temperatures between 5 and 15 C, but water temperatures hovered between 18 and 21 C in August. «Temperature spikes are not abnormal, but for that length of time they are,»Card said. He ruled out other common problems for fish farmers -- viruses and sea lice -- as the cause of the die-offs. Some workers at the Barry Group fish plant in Harbour Breton are worried about the future of their jobs. «All our jobs are probably going to be in turmoil.… All the salmon are dying,» Gloria Pierce, a 40-year veteran of the plant said. "Bottom line is there's no work for us, not for the remainder of this year until … maybe next year in August, which is a long time." Eric Day, another plant worker, blamed the die-offs on sea lice, which Northern Harvest has denied. «Now it's to the point that the sea lice [have] really grabbed hold of the fish big time, and of course it's killing the fish," Day said.

Report warns investors aquaculture risks could 'sink' the sector

A new report is warning financiers against investing in the aquaculture sector amid fears that low governance, climate change, antibiotic resistance and an unstable feed supply could “sink” the industry. The paper, "Shallow returns?", from the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR), uses recent events such as the current algal bloom in Norway and the ongoing investigation over price-fixing allegations against Norwegian salmon companies

Challenge #9 - Overfishing of Wild fish populations & Loss of habitat

To start with note this But we have to look past the spin, hype and controversy, and inform ourselves as best we can with science and fact not myths and fears.

Fact 1 : More than 85 percent of the world’s fisheries have been pushed to or are beyond their biological limits, studies have concluded. So this Another undeniable fact is that our seas and oceans are unable to meet the human demand for seafood.

The irony here in BC is the anti-farm propaganda from activists and others in the commercial and sports fisheries sectors is wrapped around consumerism – save the species so we can hunt and eat them. The result deprives the world of a healthy source of protein at affordable prices despite the global unanimity that aquaculture is the go-to method for sustainable fish production to prevent the total ecological collapse of the planet’s fisheries.

Fact 2 : Despite decades of research, including the findings by the Cohen Commission, there is no science that states salmon farms kill wild stocks.
Nowhere more than in BC is this undeniable fact hidden in the public debate about salmon farming.

The polarization here in BC about salmon farming has to stop but the debate around it does not have to. The more British Columbians get involved in decisions about how and where our food is produced, the better it will be for our oceans and those who depend on it for their livelihoods.

Fact 3 : If we are serious about Pacific salmon being a “keystone” species in British Columbia, we need to heed the words of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau – “We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters.” But we have to look past the spin, hype and controversy, and inform ourselves as best we can with science and fact not myths and fears.

Source :
http://seawestnews.com/the-inconvenient-truth-about-salmon-farming-in-b-c/amp/

Interbreeding, Competition for food, Habitat invasion plus Disease transmission - Scientific conclusions!

Here are some of the key elements established by the world’s leading aquaculture and fisheries scientists about Atlantic Salmon farming in the Pacific Northwest.

Interbreeding:

Concerns about crossbreeding/ interbreeding farmed salmon (Atlantics) with wild Pacific stocks in the event of escapes are unfounded. Over the past 40+ years, hatchery scientists made many attempts to interbreed these different species; all were unsuccessful.

Competition for food:

Concerns about farmed salmon taking over habitat, if, and when, they escape, are unfounded as well. Again, peer-reviewed studies have shown convincingly that “captive” or pen-reared salmon have not learned how to “hunt” for food, simply because they are used to being fed on a regular timetable. Atlantic salmon, in particular, appear to be non-competitive with local species. Moreover, when the stomachs of “escaped” Atlantic salmon are examined, they have been found to be empty. In B.C. over the last decade, fewer than 100 fish have escaped from salmon farms each year.

Habitat invasion:

Scientists to date have found no evidence of Atlantic salmon spawning on the West Coast of North America. Canada’s Department of Fisheries (DFO) has consistently maintained that there is an extremely low likelihood of Atlantic salmon becoming established in B.C. waters.

Disease transmission: Salmon in an aquaculture setting are raised in a certified disease-free hatchery, then vaccinated against saltwater disease, and certified disease-free before they are moved to net pens. No example of disease transfer from farmed salmon to wild fish has ever been documented by any regulatory agency in the state of Washington.

Source :
http://seawestnews.com/canada-reacts-washingtons-ban-atlantic-salmon-farming/amp/

Concerning Environmental and Economic conditions, Today there are these two main arguments against finfish farming.

One is environmental: farmed fish can escape, like what happened last year in Washington State, when hundreds of thousands of Atlantic salmon broke free from their pen and traveled miles up rivers in the Pacific Northwest
The other argument is economic.
“If you increase supply, prior to increasing demand or without the effort to increase demand, your prices drop,” Julie Decker, executive director of the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, said.

A study of a notorious 2013 escape of approximately 20,000 salmon from a Newfoundland pen confirmed fears about the risks these escapees pose to wild populations. Federal fisheries scientists reported “widespread evidence of hybridization” after the 2013 escape, finding offspring of wild and farmed fish in 17 out of 18 surveyed rivers, according to a report published in September 2018 in the journal Communication Biology. Crabbe said a sustainable, more environmentally safe industry is possible if regulators acknowledge mistakes, restore public trust and look abroad for best practices. «No industry can grow if people don’t trust the companies, if people don’t trust the regulators and if the industry itself is causing inappropriate and undue harm to the environment within which it operates,» he said. “At that point it’s just not a sustainable industry.”

During this period of growth of the Atlantic Canadian fish farms, one federal watchdog warned in a report 2018 that Fisheries and Oceans Canada had not balanced the industry’s risks with its mandate to protect wild fish. In a 2018 report, Julie Gelfand, federal environment commissioner at the time, called for more detailed monitoring and study of the industry, pointing to the understudied effect of pesticide use and the risk of salmon escapes. These escapes can result in genetic defects that threaten wild fish populations.

Source :
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/09/06/alaska-wary-of-federal-push-for-marine-aquaculture/

https://www.google.no/amp/s/www.thestar.com/amp/news/canada/2019/10/01/fish-farm-deaths-escapes-raise-concerns-about-atlantic-canadas-aquaculture-industry.html

Alaska’s rivers ended up 2019 meeting or exceeding their escapement for salmon, plus The Bristol Bay fleet hauled in 43 million fish in the summer 2019 – the second-largest harvest on record.

In 2019 all Alaska’s rivers ended up meeting or exceeding their escapement, meaning enough fish went on to spawn in their natal streams and lakes. The enormous 2019 Bristol Bay catch was harvested during one of the hottest, driest summers ever in Bristol Bay. In some rivers however then, the run was halted by thermal barriers – pockets of water that were too warm for the salmon to swim through. Sands said that was the case in the Igushik, on the west side of the bay. «We did see and hear reports of many, many sockeye dying in the Igushik river». The Bristol Bay fleet hauled in 43 million fish in the summer 2019 – the second-largest harvest on record. Tim Sands, an area management biologist for Fish and Game, says part of why the catch was so large this year is because more of the returning fish were 1-3s – that is, they had spent one year in freshwater and three in the ocean, and so had more time to grow. More than 56 million fish in total returned to Bristol Bay this summer 2019. That’s far more than predicted and is the sixth-largest run ever recorded. At $306.5 million, the preliminary exvessel value for the 2019 salmon season is the highest in the fishery’s history. The exvessel price is the amount of money fishermen get when they sell their salmon to a processor. But the key word here is “preliminary.” “That average price of $1.35 is only going to increase,” he said. “We don’t know what the final price will be, but it will be higher than a buck thirty-five. And then that will influence the total exvessel value for the 2019 Bristol Bay harvest.” «That total value will only go higher,” said Garrett Evridge, an economist with the McDowell Group, an Anchorage-based consulting firm.

2019 : Government-appointed council calls for immediate actions to increase Canada B.C.’s wild salmon population.

The Wild Salmon Advisory Council says in its 30-page report that the government should take on the role of the champion of wild salmon. The government-appointed council says British Columbia must take immediate action to increase wild salmon populations. It says that despite billions of dollars in public and private investments over the past 30 years to protect, restore, enhance and manage B.C.’s wild salmon and steelhead populations, the stocks continue to weaken, with some at alarming rates. «We heard at multiple times, and in many ways, that increasing wild salmon abundance is and should be a provincial government goal,” the report says. “We also heard repeatedly that the citizens of B.C., and particularly adjacent communities, must benefit directly from the public investment that will be required.” The report makes 13 recommendations to the government to increase wild salmon populations, urging quick action to protect salmon habitats that have not been disturbed and restore degraded habitats. The government said it is reviewing the council’s report as part of its plan to restore wild salmon stocks.

2018 with effect for 2022 : Re-establishing a farm-free migration corridor in Canada’s Broughton Archipelago area at Vancouver Island.

In a 2018 major agreement with First Nations on Vancouver Island, the B.C. government announced recommendations for protecting wild salmon stocks in the Broughton Archipelago area, including transitioning nearly a dozen fish farms out of the region over the next four years. The 2018 measures, including the closure of 10 farms by the end of 2022 and the conditional operation of the remaining seven the following year, were agreed to by the two fish farm operators in the area, MOWI with its Marine Harvest Canada, and Cermaq Canada. “We’re going to have salmon enhancements in our territories, and we’re going to achieve a lot of the dreams that have been spoken of by leaders long before my time.”
Under the agreement, 10 farms operating in the area will cease operations by 2022, some of them immediately. The remaining seven will shut down the following year unless agreements between the industry and First Nations are put in place along with renewed federal fisheries licences. The transition will be overseen by a First Nations-led monitoring and inspection program, which will also ensure the restoration and rehabilitation of the local wild salmon habitat. That will include re-establishing a farm-free migration corridor in the Broughton.

Canadian Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson stated this; «We look forward to reviewing the recommendations regarding the future of aquaculture in the #Broughton Archipelago. We will with work all partners going forward, and are committed to environmental sustainability, protecting salmon and creating jobs. @JonathanWNV Twitter : ow.ly/MGGA101oPhl
Federal Minister Wilkinson said the steps taken in the province reflected his own concerns with protecting fish habitats across the country, including his recent announcement of a restructuring of Canada’s aquaculture industry that takes a more environmentally sustainable approach. «We understand that we have a collective responsibility to ensure that fish and their habitat are protected for future generations, and we take this responsibility very seriously,” the minister said. The agreement is the latest in not only the province’s ongoing reconciliation efforts with First Nations, but also its overhaul of the local fish farming industry. In June, the NDP introduced new rules mandating fish farm operators get clearance from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans that they are not adversely affecting wild salmon populations, and that the province would only renew or issue permits to companies that have negotiated agreements with the First Nation in whose territory the company would operate.
Those measures will come into effect starting in June 2022.

Concerns in lean years over poor king salmon runs and decreased Chinook runs, across the state of Alaska unfolding both in Southeast Alaska and in Western Alaska.

Another matter is that as king runs lag, fishers consider cause and prevention. Panels of fisheries experts currently also gather together about cause and prevention. “The Southeast Alaska Chinook runs have decreased dramatically and were entirely shut down this year and then some of the runs in Western Alaska have also been declining at alarming rates.” Austin Williams at National conservation nonprofit, Trout Unlimited said, overall, the state has successfully managed its fisheries. «We need to continue to do that and we need to continue to recognize that in the lean years when we don’t have as many fish returning as we’d like, we need to curtail back fishing and when we have years of abundance, we need to make sure that we go fishing and enjoy that,» Williams said.

«Stock of concern” river designations in Alaska !!

For more than five years, Southeast’s iconic king salmon have been returning in fewer and fewer numbers. Managers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are recommending Chilkat, Unuk and King Salmon River Chinooks become official “stocks of concern.” Next year, biologists are predicting the smallest number ever of Chinook salmon returning to the Chilkat River. Brian Elliott monitors Chinook stock for Fish and Game in Haines. «I’ve been studying Chinook on this river for twenty years,» Elliot said. “It’s very painful to watch this happen.”
The Department is recommending Chilkat Chinook for a “stock of concern” designation. Kings from the Unuk and King Salmon rivers will also likely get the title — and new management plans that will restrict harvest.

The escapement goal represents the number of fish that need to spawn to guarantee there are enough baby fish for healthy and harvestable runs. And that’s not happening. “It was the lowest escapement estimate since we’ve been conducting this kind of research. This is a region-wide effect — it’s not specific to Chilkat, it’s not specific to Northern Southeast,” Elliott said. “This is a sweeping problem.”

Ed Jones, hhe Fish and Game’s Chinook Research Initiative Coordinator, agrees and echoes concerns. He said while it’s typical to see salmon cycle through better and worse runs, these numbers are not normal. Or at least, they didn’t use to be. «The cycles are increasing in amplitude. What we’re seeing today is the peaks and valleys are extremely dramatic,» Jones said. “Unprecedented. Either unprecedented bad times, or unprecedented good times. And we haven’t seen the good time yet.”

“Despite restrictive actions in all our fisheries — we’ve really pulled back the reins on harvest — we’re still not making our escapement goals,” Elliott said. «That tells us this is a production problem. This is a survival problem.” Ed Jones agreed. He says baby king salmon are suffering from marine mortality. «They’re just dying when they go into the ocean. From Southeast to the Yukon, this mortality is occurring at their first few months at sea. We surmise it’s probably something to do with water temperature and food,» Jones said. “But say we found out the water was too warm. It’s not like we’re going to be able to cool the water off.”

Managers can’t jump in the water and guard fish: they can only adjust the behavior of people. Giving Chinooks “stock of concern” status will give the Department new guidelines to enforce who can fish when. ADF&G’s draft action plan includes a scale of lenient to stringent restrictions for each fishery that’s likely to see kings from the Chilkat, Unuk or King Salmon River. Options include restrictions by gear — such as limiting mesh sizes for gillnetters — to closing fishing areas, postponing or shortening seasons, and ratcheting down bag limits.
The Board of Fish will choose which level of restriction to run with for each fishery — commercial, sport and subsistence. They can mix, match, add or reject elements of the draft plan. Last year 2017, sport, commercial, and subsistence fisheries all operated on restrictions, until the Department embargoed catching kings in late August. Elliott said fishermen should expect more restrictions in 2018. «When we’re in this kind of low abundance level, every fish does matter,» Elliott said. “We’re going to try to reduce harvest to an absolute minimum in all fisheries.”

Climate change has impact on the ocean.

The special MSC announcement in September 2019 came at the same time as another by the MSC urging governments and the fishing industry to step up efforts to anticipate the effects climate change will have on fisheries. That request was spurred on by a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which took a close look at how climate change will affect the oceans. 

“They’ve come in the habit of writing special reports with a special focus, and this is the first one on the cryosphere, the oceans,” Hans Nieuwenhuis, regional director for the Northern European region at the MSC, told SeafoodSource. “It’s the first time we’ll have a comprehensive picture of how climate change, through many many factors, is having an impact on the ocean.” The IPCC report includes extensive details about how the current distributions of commercial seafood will shift as ocean temperatures change. As those populations move to follow warmer – or cooler – waters, many popular commercial species may end up leaving the fishing grounds they are currently in. 
As those distributions shift, new countries that never had a viable commercial fishery of some species may suddenly be “seated at the table” when it comes to negotiating sustainable quotas between governments. Nieuwenhuis pointed out that it’s not a hypothetical result of global climate change, but something that’s already happening, as is the case with the Northeast Atlantic mackerel fishery. 

Oceans pushed to crisis point, Overfishing & other pressures at fault

“Overfishing – along with pollution, climate change and other pressures – has pushed our oceans to crisis point,” Howes wrote in the MSC report. “And yet this feels like a time for optimism – and a time for change. The world has woken up to the crisis facing our oceans.

Climate change, as well, was a key part of the report. In the wake of the landmark Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on the oceans – which outlined the changes the ocean will face as climate change’s impacts increase – the MSC put out a call to governments to begin anticipating the effects of climate change.

Howes said that engaging fisheries in programs like the MSC will be crucial to deal with the impacts of climate change.
“They’re the best placed to adapt,” he said of MSC certified fisheries. The requirements of MSC certification – which includes scientific analysis and management of the fishery – allow fisheries to recognize and react to changes as they happen.
“They have robust monitoring regimes capable of discriminating new science, new data," he said.

The U.N. Sustainable Development Goal to conserve and sustainably use the ocean and marine resources has galvanized new partnerships and frameworks. We’re seeing increasing political and corporate commitment, backed up by unprecedented consumer concern sparked by programs like the BBC’s Blue Planet II and Netflix’s Our Planet and growing awareness of ocean plastics and the climate crisis. The MSC is determined to be part of the solution.”

Source :
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/10/23/as-king-runs-lag-fishers-consider-cause-and-prevention/

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/12/27/as-kings-suffer-across-southeast-chilkat-chinook-candidate-for-stock-of-concern/

MSC’s annual report outlines new standards, highlights increased consumer awareness
https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/msc-s-annual-report-outlines-new-standards-highlights-increased-consumer-awareness

The new Northwest Pacific Aquaculture Alliance.

A proponent of moving the aquaculture narrative from “conflict to conversation”, Fraser said the cross-border alliance can be an effective pedestal to showcase “the story of just how important and progressive this industry is.”

“Aquaculture is an important, responsible industry helping feed a hungry world while protecting wild populations from overfishing by providing a sustainably-raised alternative. Every salmon raised on a farm is one less wild salmon caught and eaten,” he said.

“The reality is the science tells us B.C.’s salmon farms are not harming populations of wild salmon, but supporting them. We need to tell that story.”

Source :
https://seawestnews.com/opening-up-minds-about-aquaculture-in-2019%EF%BB%BF/amp/

What do you think is the biggest misconception about salmon farming in British Columbia?

“I think the biggest misconception is that our industry does not care or think about the state of wild salmon. I think the central dispute is that it is about one fish versus another. It is not. The reality is science tells us wild and farm fish populations can co-exist in the ocean, and we know that salmon farming plays a crucial role in protecting wild fish by providing a sustainable alternative when families are grocery shopping
My mission, and the work that I am doing with our board and all of our members is to shift the negative to positive and promote the strong co-existence message. I don’t know that there is any other way forward than co-existence, given growing populations, diminishment of our ability to grow food on land over the decades to come, the nutritional value of what we can grow in the ocean and the availability of the ocean here in British Columbia. You know Jacques Cousteau said that the oceans need to be farmed and the animals need to be herded, not hunted. There is no logic in us pursuing a growth strategy that would diminish the ability by the environment to provide for that growth. I think that a lot of work that the industry does, which is at the forefront of conservation of wild stocks, is really misunderstood.

What is your definition of success in this role?

“Well, my definition of success is to get people coming to the conclusion that when they put farmed fish on their dinner table it is a healthy thing to do, and a good thing to do for preserving wild salmon. If we can get more people to feel that way then we have more opportunities to grow more partnerships — with more First Nations, with more community groups and more consumers.  It would also mean more science and more innovation can be funded to always stay on top of issues, because we do work in a natural environment and there is still so much to learn. We can do all these things if more people begin to equate our farmed salmon as essential to wild salmon conservation.”

Source :
http://seawestnews.com/moving-the-salmon-farm-debate-from-conflict-to-conservation/amp/