Starting in 2027, all aquaculture facilities in the sea must submit their operating plans digitally in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's new solution.
Photo: Mattilsynet
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) has begun publishing operational plan data from marine aquaculture facilities, making information on planned operations, fallowing, relocation and fish releases publicly available.
The number of fish at individual facilities will remain confidential because it is considered commercially sensitive, according to the authority.
The move comes ahead of changes planned for 2027, when all aquaculture facilities at sea will be required to submit their operating plans digitally through a new Norwegian Food Safety Authority system.
The regulator said it carried out a legal assessment to determine which information could be released publicly, following dialogue with industry organisations Sjomat Norge and Sjomatbedriftene. According to the authority, both organisations identified fish numbers as the only commercially sensitive information contained in the operational plans.
"We have listened to the industry and made a thorough legal assessment. The conclusion is clear - most things can and should be shared openly. It gives the industry better tools to coordinate and take responsibility for its own operations," said Oda Aase Johnsen, who is responsible for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's digital product development within aquaculture.
The authority said access to updated operational plans could give aquaculture companies more information for coordinating fallowing periods and planning biosecurity measures, with potential benefits for fish health and welfare.
Coordinated fallow zones are already used within Norwegian aquaculture as a biosecurity measure. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said their effectiveness depends on producers keeping information on fallowing periods up to date.
"Open sharing of operational plan data is good for the fish, good for the industry and good for Norwegian aquaculture. The desire for more transparency has come from the industry itself, and we are happy to be able to deliver on that," Johnsen said.
The regulator and industry organisations are also encouraging farmers to check that their sites are correctly registered with the coordinator responsible for their production area.
The operational plan information is being made available through an API, which could allow the data to be used by the industry, researchers and other interested parties.
However, the dataset is currently limited. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said the system was only recently launched and, with the deadline for submitting operational plans set for 1 October, it will take time before a larger volume of information becomes available.
The authority said the initiative is also in line with the Norwegian government's digitalisation strategy, under which public-sector data should be made openly available where possible.
