How to achieve sustainable growth in aquaculture?

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to see so many leading representatives from the aquaculture community gathered in Norway.

Fish are an important source of protein for the world's growing population. While the supply of wild fish is limited, aquaculture represents an opportunity to increase seafood consumption worldwide. The health benefits of eating seafood are well documented and make it even more important to increase the supply of seafood. Nor should it be forgotten that modern aquaculture, such as salmon farming, utilizes feed resources more efficiently than comparable terrestrial meat production.

The seafood industry is one of the major industries in Norway, and we are currently the world’s second-largest seafood exporter. Norway is favoured with a long coastline, cold and clear water, and some of the world’s most extensive fish resources. Over decades, we have developed a very strict resource management policy to ensure sustainability in our fisheries. Last year, a study carried out by the University of British Columbia found Norwegian management of wild fish resources to be the best in the world. I am very proud of that position, and from the governments side we will work hard to keep this status, and to improve.

Although our traditional fisheries continue to be important, future growth in the seafood industry will take place in aquaculture. The export value of our farmed fish already exceeds the value of the products from traditional fisheries. Along the Norwegian coast, there is potential for further growth in aquaculture production.

In my view, there is only one factor that will determine if the aquaculture industry will be able to continue its growth. And that is sustainability. Other factors such as consumer trends, economic development, etc. are also important. But without sustainability, the growth will be limited and short-lived.

The term sustainability has its origin in the Latin word “sustenire”, which means to support or maintain. In its ecological sense, the term was first used in German forestry in the 18th century. Sustainable forestry meant limiting the harvest of timber to the annual re-growth of the forest.

In the 1980s, sustainability became a political term – focusing on the connection between development and the environment. Sustainable development was defined as development which meets today’s needs - without undermining future generations’ potential to meet their needs.

At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, it was concluded that environmental management policies often failed to cover the full impacts on the environment of human development and exploitation. The reason was that they were developed for one sector without much regard to other sectors. It was underlined that we must be able to apply a more holistic approach to policy-making for sustainable development.

In 1995, the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries was adopted by the FAO Conference. The Code also deals with aquaculture, addressing many aspects which are relevant for its sustainable development. The goal is to achieve an ecologically sustainable development – also called the “ecosystem approach”.

The Norwegian Seafood Federation has argued that sustainability also involves social and economic aspects, and that environmental concerns must be balanced against social and economic benefits. I agree to an extent. But in the long term, social and economic development will also suffer if we do not take care of the environment.

Because;
Obviously, aquaculture production requires a clean and healthy environment in order to produce high quality products. Therefore, sustainability is a prerequisite for long-term growth in aquaculture production.

Because we are using nature as our production premises, we have a special obligation to ensure that operations are sustainable and do not harm the environment. To obtain new areas for fish farming, society in general must give its approval for aquaculture to take precedence over other interests. We now see a growing sensitivity to environmental issues, which is reflected in the development of both national and local policies.

Last, but not least, there is consumer demand. Consumers around the world want to know how their food is produced, and how its production affects the environment. Seafood's reputation for being both tasty and healthy is justified. If we can assure consumers that farmed fish is also environmentally friendly, I am confident that seafood consumption will continue to grow.

Aquaculture, like any other food production, may have negative environmental impacts, and these must be kept within acceptable limits. Aquaculture has a long tradition in some parts of the world. In the past, these activities were generally limited in impact because of their small scale. Today’s commercial aquaculture involves a higher density of installations, and the use of feed resources produced outside the immediate area. This may affect the ecosystem.

The Norwegian Government is working to define more precisely the requirements for sustainable growth in aquaculture production. We have identified five areas which must be given attention, which are:

• Genetic interaction,
• Effects on water quality,
• Diseases,
• Access to coastal areas, and
• Fish feed

Genetic interaction may occur when farmed fish escape from fish farms or spawns in net cages. Genetic interaction can reduce the productivity of local wild stocks and reduce the fitness of their offspring.

Aquaculture may have an effect on water quality around the fish farms. Discharge of nutrients and organic material may result in a build-up of sediments or increased algae-growth.

Diseases in fish farms are not only a challenge for the aquaculture industry. They can also affect wild stocks. One example is salmon lice which may affect the survival rate of the outgoing smolt in the area. With less smolt reaching the ocean, the stocks of wild salmon will decrease.

Aquaculture production requires access to suitable coastal areas. These areas are often attractive for other recreational or business activities as well. To achieve sustainability, it is important to have a certain distance between installations, and between clusters of fish farms. Such “firewalls” require fewer and larger aquaculture sites. To reorganize the structure of the fish farming installations, we need to see larger geographic areas in an overall perspective.

Sustainability of feed raw material is an international challenge in the aquaculture industry. We must make sure that the aquaculture industry’s need for marine ingredients does not impede the sustainable management of wild stocks and marine ecosystems. This implies that only feed that originates from wild stocks that are managed sustainably can be used.

The environmental situation in Norwegian aquaculture is generally good, but there are certain aspects that require close monitoring:

Escape of farmed fish is one of the biggest environmental challenges in Norwegian aquaculture. I am pleased to say though that the number of escapees from salmon production has been reduced. In 2006, approximately one million escapees were reported. Last year the number was 618,000, and so far this year only 13,000 escapees have been reported. These numbers are of course to a certain extent dependent on weather conditions and winter storms, but they also show that the efforts made by both the authorities and the industry have produced results. Two years ago the Directorate of Fisheries introduced it’s “Vision zero escapes”. This is an action plan incorporating more than 50 measures to reduce the number of escapees. Among the most important of these measures are strict technical requirements for the equipment used in fish farms, a permanent commission of inquiry which investigates every escape incident, and heavy punishment for violation of the environmental regulations.

To protect the water quality, fish farmers must complete environmental assessments before they are allowed to establish new farms. In addition the authorities are monitoring the overall effects of the fish farms in each region, and taking action if there are signs of negative impacts. In April this year we decided to temporarily stop the expansion of aquaculture production in the Hardangerfjord area – which is situated between Stavanger and Bergen. This area has the highest density of fish farms in Norway and the Directorate of Fisheries is now elaborating a special management regime for this area.

To combat diseases we are focusing on prevention. This is being done through the total management of aquaculture production – both by the authorities and the companies. We have also had a long-term research strategy aimed at developing efficient vaccines. As a result of this, the use of antibiotics is at a record low in Norway – although the production of farmed fish has increased substantially over the past 20 years. Last year only 350 kilos of antibiotics were used, for the production of 730,000 tons of salmon and trout.

Although the state of fish health in Norway is generally good, I am concerned about the increase of Sea lice in Atlantic salmon. This is something that demands particular attention because of its environmental consequences. We have recently adopted improved legislation with an emphasis on preventing negative impacts on wild fish.

Norwegian aquaculture sites have traditionally been relatively small and widespread. Accordingly, they have occupied large areas of the coastal zone. We are now considering a “more on less area approach” by having clusters of farms. This will liberate areas for other activities, and - perhaps more importantly – make it possible to establish greater distances between clusters of sites to inhibit the spread of diseases.

Research on fish feed needs to continue. To increase the feed supply sustainably, the industry must develop feed with less marine oil and meal. Algae, plankton and plant matter are potential alternative raw materials. The research must focus on food safety as well as fish welfare and health. It is also important to maintain seafood's nutritional benefits for the consumer.

Aquaculture contributes to jobs and development along the entire coastline. Salmon and trout make up the majority of Norwegian aquaculture production, and the farming of marine species – in particular Cod – is increasing.

Last year the Norwegian Government presented a strategy for a competitive aquaculture industry.
The strategy gives the aquaculture industry a competitive regulatory framework and contributes to maintaining Norway’s position as a leading producer of seafood. It covers areas such as new licences, access to coastal areas, market access, and research and development. It also considers the necessary protection of the environment and establishes the Government's intention to ensure that the aquaculture industry operates sustainably.

The Government will soon present the framework for a new licensing round for salmon. Sustainability has of course been an important criterion in the development of this framework.

To conclude I would like to emphasise that sustainable aquaculture means hard work every day. It requires attention and dedication in the industry, it requires research and constant improvements of regulating framework.

Thank you for your attention.