A salmon farm in Norway.
Photo: Adobe Stock
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has issued another statement in response to the news that Norway is introducing a tax surcharge on ASC-certified salmon.
"By making ASC certification more expensive, Norwegian authorities are sending a clear signal: sustainability does not pay," the organization stated.
In its most recent statement, published on 28 February, the ASC says that its aquaculture certification programme "sets significantly stricter environmental and social requirements than the Norwegian authorities themselves" and fears the introduction of the surcharge will mean "the aquaculture industry’s environmental work will be weakened".
Early reports suggested that the price surcharge would be 2 NOK per kilo, but the norm price has now been set for 1.5 NOK per kilo of ASC-certified fish, according to the ASC.
“We understand that this addition to the norm price is purely fiscal and intended to generate revenue. Nevertheless, the added fee will undermine several years of progress towards more sustainable aquaculture in Norway. This is a tax on accountability when authorities should make it attractive for farmers to choose the most responsible and transparent certification scheme on the market," Laetitia Rosing, Producer Outreach and Regional Manager Nordics at ASC, said in a press release.
Rosling said that Norway's Norm Price Council for aquaculture shows "a lack of understanding of how certification schemes and market forces interact", arguing that the tax "creates a zero-sum game where the consequence is weaker environmental standards and increased reputational risk for the Norwegian aquaculture industry.”
At the end of January, ASC CEO Chris Ninnes wrote to Norway's Ministry of Finance requesting an "urgent meeting" to discuss the proposed tax surcharge and its consequences. In his letter, subsequently published on the ASC website, Ninnes criticised the tax and highlighted that the ASC had not been consulted on the Price Council's decision to implement the additional tax.
The ASC says it has "repeatedly attempted to enter into dialogue with Norwegian authorities to discuss the consequences of this tax" but has received no response thus far. The lack of communication over the tax decision was again highlighted by Rosing, who asked, "How can an internationally recognized environmental organization be completely ignored in a decision that directly affects our work?”
"We urge the Norwegian authorities to re-evaluate this tax and enter into dialogue to find a fair and balanced solution that does not punish those who are leading the industry towards a more responsible future,” Rosing said.
