An approach to salmon farming in Norway : a future for land based salmon farming?

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to give an overview over the salmon farming industry in Norway. It presents some theory around production- and investment costs associated with land basedand sea based fish farming, as well as challenges around environmental issues, technology, fish feed etc. Several production concepts such as open cages in the sea, cages offshore, closed operations in the sea, both exposed and protected and land based production sites are available today, and the characteristics and issues associated with them are discussed. Important is also the production process – from birth to slaughtering. Especially the field of slaughtering is of noticeable importance since there are in general a widespread usage of inhumane slaughter methods. A vast amount of salmon produced throughout the world are killed with little or no consideration for their welfare. In a daily operation of a production site a necessary component is fish feed. It does not only help the salmon to grow, but also adds omega-3 and other important ingredients beneficial to consumers. As any other field within fish farming it is dynamic and constantly changing to meet requirements. Crucial ingredients that made up a huge proportion of the feed a few years ago have to yield for other substitutes. In the analysis of how Norway’s position as a leading country within aquaculture could be challenged a three – step model can be applied. In the first step the current production concepts’ possibilities will be evaluated along the possibility of technological success and what circumstances in society that can influence these concepts. In the second step the economic side of the concepts is evaluated. In the last step, the possibility of success based on previous factors will be summed up, and how this will inflict the Norwegian fish farming industry and whether the new technology can threaten the position and competitiveness of Norway’s industry.