is a regional cluster organizaton for the seafood business in Western Norway. Fiskeriforum Vest main objective is to increase the seafood sector’s value creation. Fiskeriforum Vest gathers, strengthens and promotes the region’s seafood business, and reseach sector and works in close cooperation with policymakers for the seafood sector in Norway.
For more information please contact Manager; Mrs Tanja Hoel, tanja@sjomat.no, + 47 92801315, www.fiskeriforum.no
Western Norway: Feeding the future with sustainable seafood
Norway is famous for its fjords and coast line and is also a pioneering nation in the development of modern aquaculture. Western Norway is uniquely blessed with a long and fertile coastline. The natural conditions create an extremely good basis for operating effective aquaculture-based food production, and have laid the foundation for sustaining active coastal communities combining innovation with traditional culture. It is not without reason that consumers globally enjoy seafood farmed in the pure and cold fjords of Western Norway.
Managing the resources of the sea has been and continues to be a vital task for Norway. Norwegian seafood industry has developed a system for sustainable and regulated seafood industry, but continued growth will require greater sustainability. There is a broad global recognition that the increased food demand cannot be met by increased fisheries, and that aquaculture represents the most relevant opportunity to increase seafood production worldwide.
Western Norways is now leading the way for creating a basis for sustainable growth of aquaculture seafood and ocean opportunities.
Innovation and research in the region of Western Norway-Creating a basis for sustainable seafood
The success of the fisheries sector in Norway is based on close co-operation between leading research-institutions within marine science and education and decades of field practice. The result is a dynamic, innovative marine knowledge hub that gives consumers sustainable, healthy and high quality seafood. Western Norway is at global knowledge hub for marine management, sustainable research, innovation and education for the seafood industry. Bergen is the capital of marine management, and over 1000 people are involved with management research, such as stock assessment, and plays an important role in the annual negotiations where the different quotas are set.
Among our research institutions you find the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Research on nutrition; feed for fish and fish as food (NIFES), University of Bergen (UiB), Møreforskning and Omegaland. The IMR provides policy advices to Norwegian authorities and the ICES on aquaculture and the ecosystems of the Barents-, North- and Norwegian Sea and the Norwegian coastal zone. NIFES does research on nutrition and health, resulting in scientific advice to both the public and private sector, regarding both wild catch and farmed seafood. UiB has many fields of expertise, among which you find top-grade marine research and education for the marine sector. Among other specialized units, the UiB is host to The Salmon Louse Research Centre which aims at becoming world leading in research on salmon louse and other aquatic parasites. Christian Michelsen Institute (CMR) conducts high-quality technology research within marine/maritime and climate/environment. Western Norway has recently been awarded with The Directorate of Fisheries “Environmental” prize, given to Uni Research AS for enhancing the wild stocks of salmon, bring together aquaculture technology to breed wild salmon stocks.
Møreforsking is a research and development institution leading to the increased value creation in the industry, including the fishing fleet, the fish-farming industry, the processing industry, exporters, trade associations and sales organisations. Omegaland, working within bio-technology, works towards realizing the full potential of Omega-3 products, adding to the regional aim of becoming a knowledge hub for the production of marine oils and other health products of marine origin for direct human consumption. Through private-public cooperation, counting small to large scale businesses, research institutions and the Norwegian authorities, the region of Western Norway is the proud host of a world leading environment of marine expertise. In south of Western Norway Norwegian Centre of Expertise of Gastronomy is located in “Måltidets hus”, working to enhance seafood gastronomy for the seafood industry.
Business opportunities in Western Norway
West-Norwegian seafood businesses’ annual turnover is valued at more than 72 billion NOK,a volume of 500 0000 tons or near 50% of Norways total aquaculture production. In the fjord coast region there are over 4000 highly innovated seafood companies. Western Norway’s seafood industry is a modern, internationally competitive industry and a highly efficient producer of quality seafood. Products from aquaculture now account for more than 60 per cent of the total value of all Norwegian seafood exports.
Increased demand and positive development in new markets, give good prospects for the aqua cultural businesses also in the years to come. The majority of farmed seafood is salmonide, but Western Norway is also pioneering in the creation of new aquaculture by farming; cod, mussels, halibut, turbot, catfish and sea-wrasse as a green alternative for lice removal.
Hosting several of the worlds largest seafood companies, such as; Lerøy Seafood Group, Marine Harvest, Grieg Seafood, Austevoll Seafood, Norway Pelagic, Salmon Group, Atlantic Cod Farms, EWOS and Skretting, the region of has a strong business cluster within the seafood sector. In total there are more than 5000 seafood companies working within the entire seafood value-chain; breeding, juvenile fish, farming, harvest production, equipment, foodstuff, technology, processing, sales and marketing, logistics and finance.
Sustainable Harvesting and Healthy Fish
- Seafood from Fjord Norway are raised with care.
Over the past years, there has been a considerable focus on the environmental challenges faced by the fish farming industry. Aquaculture business constantly strives to reach new landmarks as to environmental sustainability. Responsible harvesting of the wild fish used as foodstuff for farmed fish is one important key to sustainability. A healthy environment and healthy fish means a healthy economy, which is one important reason for Norway’s commitment to the healthy growth and natural maturation of its ocean-farmed salmon. Today, the use of antibiotics in farming is approaching zero, which is due to new disease-fighting techniques and preventive measures. Western Norway’s aquaculture businesses lead the way for a more environmental and sustainable aquaculture through R & D projects, investments in innovative solutions and several coordinated preventive production activities. Norway also has been certified by the MSC to three sustainable and well managed fisheries within herring and mackerel in the North Sea, North-east Atlantic and Skagerrak region.
