The Sky Is the Limit? The Rise and Fall of Norwegian Salmon Aquaculture, 1970–1990

Abstract

The Norwegian salmon aquaculture industry has some remarkable features. One of them pertains to growth rate. Between 1971 and 1990, production increased by 33% annually. This chapter describes the development of the salmon aquaculture industry in Norway. It argues that the enormous expansion of this industry is due to a combination of natural, social, and institutional factors. The chapter also describes the crisis and the processes that led up to it. Two were adopted by the aquaculture sector: the licensing system and a cooperative sales organization. No single actor or group of actors, including the fish farmers' sales organization, possessed the necessary information and power to avert the crisis. A long and rugged coastline sheltered by islands and skerries, clean water and mild ocean temperatures due to the Gulf Stream provide excellent natural conditions for marine aquaculture in Norway. Demand for farmed salmon also has been exceptionally good. Approximately 95% of the production has been exported, mostly fresh.