Norway to revise its rules for land-based aquaculture

The development of new land-based technologies in addition to RAS, such as flow-through and hybrid systems, have blurred the distinction between land-based and sea-based aquaculture — and now the Norwegian government says the regulations need to catch up.

That's the message in a nutshell of a new consultation, announced this week by Norway's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, on proposals to amend the regulations for land-based aquaculture in Norway.

The proposed changes will see stricter aquatic biosecurity measures coming into play, with the introduction of a mandatory disinfection requirement for intake and discharge water used in all land-based aquaculture facilities.

This measure is intended to minimize the risk of spreading infectious agents through water, thus protecting surrounding aquatic environments and other aquaculture operations. The proposed disinfection requirement would apply universally, regardless of the species farmed or the type of facility.

The changes will also introduce more specific criteria for what "land-based" really means, including the requirement for facilities to be located "on solid ground or filled land in an area not covered by water".

"Several applications for land-based aquaculture in recent years have involved facilities that would affect existing sea-based facilities in almost the same way as a conventional sea-based aquaculture facility, challenging the regulatory distinction between aquaculture at sea and on land," the consultation document states.

"Facilities that have a close connection to the sea are those physically located on land but use intake water and/or discharge water that is subject to little or no treatment (disinfection). Such treatment would help reduce the likelihood of infectious agents being exchanged between the “land-based facility” and the surrounding environment. From an epidemiological perspective, such aquaculture facilities cannot be distinguished from ordinary sea-based facilities."

Currently in Norway, permits for land-based aquaculture production of salmon, trout, and rainbow trout for food fish, juvenile fish, and broodstock are granted on an ongoing basis, free of charge, and without production capacity limitations, and without being subject to the capacity adjustments through Norway's "traffic light" system for sea-based aquaculture.

However, the consutation document suggests, this could change for facilities that occupy both sea and land: "This distinction between the permit systems has become particularly significant in recent years, as facilities with new technology forms challenge the regulatory boundary between land and sea. The Ministry believes that it is important that the regulations for land-based aquaculture permits are viewed in conjunction with the regulations for sea-based aquaculture permits (including the traffic light system)."

In the updated rules, permits for land-based aquaculture would only be granted if the facility is located on solid ground or filled land that is not covered by water. This means that facilities that are on land but closely connected to the sea, such as those using seawater intake, must meet specific criteria to be considered truly land-based.

Næss said the proposed changes are designed to provide clearer guidelines for land-based aquaculture, which serves as a crucial supplement to traditional coastal operations.

“Aquaculture on land should contribute to producing healthy and safe seafood in a sustainable way, while also ensuring profitable employment and activity along the coast. I believe the proposals will help to ensure that aquaculture production on land takes place in a sustainable and responsible way,” said Næss.

The consultation document notes that the Ministry believes "clearer requirements for land-based aquaculture facilities will provide more predictable framework conditions for the industry," arguing that this "could help reduce the risk of poor investments, make it more attractive to invest in environmental technology, and make it easier to address environmental challenges."

This latest proposal follows a May 2023 consultation that was paused pending further investigation into functional requirements for water purification in land-based aquaculture. The new proposal now integrates the earlier suggested changes with concrete requirements for water purification.

Stakeholders have until 21 November 2024 to submit their input on the proposed changes.