Environmental problems and regulation in the aquaculture industry. Insights from Norway

Abstract

Since the beginnings of the aquaculture industry in Norway, the salmon farming industry has grown from a pioneering niche to a massive industrial adventure. Since 1992, Norwegian salmon production has increased to ten times its 1992 level. By 2015, the Norwegian production constituted 53% of the world's production of Atlantic salmon. Therefore, it could be said that salmon farming is the most important industry in rural Norway today, with a yearly landing value of about 6.1 billion EUR. As the production has grown, along with the income, numerous environmental issues have arisen. The present paper gives an overview of these environmental problems and discusses potential solutions, as well as the need for a better and more holistic regulation of the industry. The experience from Norwegian salmon farming with respect to environmental issues and regulation may give important insights to both other salmon producing countries as well as producers of other fish species.