Opening Address, Aqua Nor 2013

Resumé of speech.

 

Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour for me to welcome you to Aqua Nor 2013. Every other year many foreign exhibitors and delegations join us here in Trondheim.

This year I am especially pleased to welcome ministers and vice-ministers from Cuba, Chile and Scotland. We are all nations engaged in developing and managing a global industry – aquaculture. This is a tie that gives us a common purpose.

In particular, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, Madame Mayor, for hosting the Aqua Nor exhibition in your beautiful city.

I will now continue my speech in Norwegian. Please refer to the written translations into English and Spanish that have been distributed to you.

A warm welcome to all Aqua Nor participants,

It gives me great pleasure to join you here today. I am looking forward to the seminars, meetings and not least to visiting the stands and meeting the creative and talented individuals who are contributing to the development of the Norwegian seafood industry.  Aqua Nor this year is the largest to date. This confirms that the exhibitors regard this as an important arena to attend. In other words, this exhibition succeeds in being relevant and engaging, and as a valuable meeting place for reconnecting with previous contacts. And not least, it is an opportunity to meet new people.

The interest surrounding Aqua Nor also points to the growing importance of aquaculture both internationally and in Norway. Given the increasing global population and limited resources in the wild, there is both a need, and potential, for more farmed fish in the world. The question is, what will it take to drive further development of aquaculture in different forms in different locations across the globe? Naturally, there is no short answer, but I am convinced that key factors are knowledge, technology, entrepreneurship and framework conditions. This mix is part of the reason for the event organisers' success with Aqua Nor!

 

The world’s leading seafood nation

This spring, the Norwegian Government presented its Seafood White Paper. This stakes out the course for future seafood policy. Norway is to be the world’s leading seafood nation!  For us, this means, among other things, that we will: 

• be the leaders in knowledge-based management

• prioritise innovation and inventiveness

• create modern seafood products with strong consumer appeal

• and we will focus on development and export of expertise and know-how, equipment and services, in addition to products from new marine industries.

The Norwegian Government’s policy rests on three pillars:

• Knowledge
• Profitability and
• Environmental sustainability.

I would like to highlight key aspects of each of these.

Knowledge

Earlier today, the Norwegian Government presented the main items of its action plan: Marint kunnskapsløft, or Marine Knowledge Promotion. The plan is based on the recommendations of HAV21, a widely representative strategy group commissioned to draft a national marine research strategy. The strategy emphasises the high potential that exists for increased marine value creation in focusing more intently on knowledge-based utilisation of marine resources. Investments in research and development should be increased in order to realise the ambitions and opportunities. The object is to boost marine knowledge.

The Norwegian Government is calling for a proactive and prioritised focus on knowledge building in the marine sector in the years ahead.

The marine knowledge promotion reform comprises education, competence-building, research and development. Within research, the Government signalled its intention to step up efforts notably within three areas of expertise:

• sea and coast
• seafood
• new marine opportunities and markets

In order to understand and reduce the impacts of the aquaculture industry’s environmental footprint, Norway already attaches great importance to conducting research in the broader marine environment in order to gather new knowledge. All the same, there is a still a great deal we do not know about our sea areas, coastal zones and fjords. These are areas in which marine science must be strengthened.

Increased knowledge about seafood entails obtaining solid evidence that the content of unwanted substances in seafood does not exceed the limit values prescribed by the regulations. This also entails more scientific data on how seafood promotes human health and counteracts lifestyle disease. Knowledge about seafood must be improved.

New marine produce, byproducts and the marine ingredients industry have the potential to account for a large share of the marine industries.

One key criterion for new marine industries, the supplier industry and the fisheries and aquaculture industries alike is the need to grow the markets. Our factual basis for new marine opportunities and the market must be strengthened. 

Profitability

Profitability is crucial in value and job creation. Without profitability we lack a sound foundation for development.

Operating fish processing businesses is a challenge in a country with high wage costs, but is still definitely achievable. In follow-up to the white paper I have already appointed a governmental commission tasked with reviewing the framework conditions of the seafood industry. Over the course of 2014, the commission will be presenting its proposals for increased profitability and value creation.

Politicians impose a great many framework conditions on the industry. But the single most important factor for an exports-oriented industry is and will remain a sound economic policy. This is true not least at a time when the economy is still fraught by uncertainty across much of Europe.

Environmental sustainability.

Environmental sustainability is a basic premise for all and any industrial activity.  The challenges associated with lice and escapes must be resolved. Not only the Norwegian Government, but also the Norwegian Parliament, is committed to effective initiatives conducive to the environmental sustainability of the aquaculture industry. Initiatives include development of a first-generation rating tool for sustainability, and we will be working to devise future-oriented zonal coordination of the industry.  

Technological advances are instrumental in countering environmental challenges and hence serve to unlock further industry potential. A great many promising advances are in progress in this field already. This is evident from the finalists nominated for the Nor-Fishing Innovation Award 2013 to be presented later this evening. Awards such as this and the Directorate of Fisheries’ Environmental Award are vital in incentivising new ideas. Ideas which have the potential to produce innovative solutions for the seafood industry of the future.

As you will be aware, I will be further incentivising the commercialisation of more eco-friendly fishfarming technology by granting 45 new salmon licences in 2013. The licences were offered on 1 July and the application deadline is 1 October. I hope that a great many are well into the process of presenting their bids for effective solutions in their applications.

Knowledge, profitability and environmental sustainability are strongly linked.

Those of you present today at Aqua Nor have the potential to strengthen that linkage. This will serve to drive further development of the aquaculture industry, unlocking industry-wide potential for increased production and profitability.

***

This is the 18^th Aqua Nor since the beginning in 1979. Fairs such as this are vital for our industry’s progress. It is an arena where we meet, discuss and are inspired. It is a forum for ideas, know-how and new products. Aquaculture is set to take on growing significance through its role in safeguarding the global supply of seafood. At the same time, we need to develop our industry in an environmentally sustainable way so that we are able to pursue and realise its potential.

I recommend that all present make the most of the following days to inspire and be inspired. Our common challenge is to develop aquaculture-industry for the future!

I hereby declare Aqua Nor 2013 open!