Opening of Seminar on Norwegian Fishing and Aquaculture Industry

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Leading experts on global food supply are worried about the future. In less than three decades, in the year 2025, the estimated world population will be eight billion people. We know the problems we have in trying to satisfy the needs of the world's population today. We can only try to imagine the challenges we will be facing in the coming decades.

Meeting the demands of the future will require a comprehensive effort by the world community. While this is not the time and place to discuss all aspects of this complex problem, it is nevertheless a useful reminder and a confirmation of the importance of this seminar.

Fish and other marine products constitute a fairly small portion of the world's food supply. But they are still very important. Increasing the long term output from marine resources is central to our efforts to meet the needs of the world's increasing population. The fact that fish has a higher feed-to-growth ratio than meat, only serves to underline this point.

At the same time, we are fully aware of the fact that the resources of the ocean are part of a fragile ecological system. Our harvesting of the marine resources needs to be managed in a way that is sustainable. Only then can we hope to meet our objective of increasing the long term outcome from the marine biomass.

It is widely accepted that the world’s total fish catch can not be increased much more. But we know that the catch can be utilized more efficiently. Today, a full 25% of the world fish catch is thrown back into the sea or otherwise wasted. This cannot continue. Employing more selective and efficient fishing technology - that enables us to catch only the fish we want to catch, may be a good start. We must get the right fish - at the right age - in the best condition - in the most cost-efficient manner - and with the least environmental waste. This is the concept of sustainable fisheries. Another challenge is to use all parts of the fish and to develop products that satisfy a wider range of consumer needs.

Increasing the production from aquaculture has exciting potential. As a matter of fact, estimates suggest that global aquaculture production will surpass total fish catches within 50 years. Only through this promising new sector will we be able to supplement the overburdened natural marine resources in the future.

Both Norway and Chile are major fishing and aquaculture nations. The fishing industry is probably our single most important area of economic cooperation. We face the same opportunities and the same challenges. To some extent, we are competitors in the global market. This fact should, however, not be seen as a problem, but rather as a challenge.

It is thus only natural that we share our experiences in this field, both at the political as well as at the technical level. Yesterday, issues related to the management of fisheries were discussed at ministerial level between our two countries. Today, we focus on the opportunities for cooperation at the technical and commercial level.

Let me in this context point out that Norway was one of the first countries in the world to enact a system of catch quotas. This was the first step towards a comprehensive system for sustainable management of our marine resources.

This policy has contributed to the development of new and advanced technology for both monitoring and utilization of our marine resources. Stringent environmental standards, a rough climate, ecological demands and market requirements for competitive products and prices, have inspired an innovative process in our maritime industrial community. This has resulted in world class technology and products.

Efficient and sustainable fishing and aquaculture require a broad range of technologies and equipment for production, monitoring and logistics. This includes selective fishing systems – sonars, - systems for trawl door manipulation, equipment for fishing fleet surveillance, aqua-culture cages - electronic feeding systems and systems for storage and transportation.

I am proud to note that a comprehensive selection of these products is represented here at ExpoPesca '98 - products that enable us to become partners with Mother Nature and not irresponsible exploiters.

Relations between the fishing industries of Norway and Chile are already well established. They represent a good basis upon which we - as two great fishing nations - can develop an even deeper and broader cooperation in the future. This seminar is dedicated to the exploration of such new opportunities for closer cooperation between our two countries.

As a way of concluding, I want to return to where I started. We have the tools today to eradicate poverty and feed the hungry – to make a better world for everyone. Increasing the outcome from our marine resources in an environmentally sustainable way is one way of achieving this goal. I hope this seminar will contribute to this.

I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

Thank you.