Ode's new farm is located in Dysjaneset, in the municipality of Sande, in the western part of Norway.
Photo: Ode.
In an exclusive interview with WeAreAquaculture last year, Ode's CEO Ola Kvalheim said the cod producer aims to become a leading seafood company over the next 30 years. Now, the opening of its sixth active sea site is a further step towards that goal.
The facility, which consists of 12 cages and a feed barge, was inaugurated in December, but work on the site began as early as October, and has already received fish and started producing cod. With this addition, Ode not only increases production in the area but further strengthens its regional presence.
"Our employees have shown an extraordinary commitment to getting this site ready. There's been a lot of activity in recent weeks, and we have now received the first fish," said Vidar Vartdal, Head of Farming at Ode.
The new site is located in the municipality of Sande, in the western part of Norway, a strategic situation as it lies in Ode's core region. Specifically, the farm is in Dysjaneset, right in front of Kvamsøya, a small island community perched at the ocean's outer edge, acting as a living barrier between the fjords and the Atlantic.
Following Ode's commitment to fostering local value creation and activity in rural areas, the new site already has a strong team in place: six employees and one apprentice, three of whom come from Kvamsøya. Aleksander Ristesund, Assistant Site Manager, is one of them.
"It means a lot to me personally to contribute to local value creation here on Kvamsøya, where I was born and raised. The Dysjaneset facility provides jobs for people in the immediate area and has positive effects for the local community," he stated.
Aleksander Ristesund, Assistant Site Manager in Ode's new cod farm in Dysjaneset.
Photo: Ode.
The cod company plans a gradual increase in personnel as operations ramp up in the new year. This development will create positive effects on the local community, both by securing stable jobs and by fostering collaboration with local suppliers.
"Ode oversees the entire production chain—from roe to store-ready products. Together with the other sites, Dysjaneset will play a central role in ensuring a stable, predictable, year-round supply of high-quality fresh cod for our local Norwegian harvesting and processing activities," Ode's Head of Public Affairs, Falk Øveraas, explained.
"When the first production cycle is completed, the facility and its team at Dysjaneset will have produced more than 20 million cod meals for dinner tables worldwide," he added.
Previously, in February this year, Ode already took a definite step toward a fully integrated value chain by acquiring the Vartdal processing plant, previously owned by Måsøval. This value chain has recently been further strengthened with the addition of the world's first wellboat dedicated to cod, the Ronja Ode, the result of a partnership between the Norwegian cod farmer and the leading wellboat company Sølvtrans.
