50 years of farming
It all started in June 1972, when a small seaplane carrying salmon smolt landed on Lovund – an island at the far end of the Helgeland sea.
That was the start of the salmon adventure for the family company Lovundlaks and the entire aquaculture industry in Nordland, but a lot has happened since then.
Managing director, Jaocb Meland Palmer, has been responsible for the company for the past six years. He believes there is much to be proud of.
- People often talk about the ripple effects of the aquaculture industry, something we who work in the industry are well aware of. The fact that we who live in the district have succeeded in creating a successful industry, I believe has a lot to do with our special relationship with the sea.
- We don't have to stand there with our hats in our hands and think that we are a pimple on the back of welfare Norway. I think that in 50 years we can say that salmon is the new oil. If I had said this 25 years ago, no one would have believed me.
A future in the sea
Meland believes that by 2050, it will be considered important to produce food in the sea – also outside Norway.
Will be responsible for mapping and developing offshore aquaculture Together with partners, Lovundlaks has established its own company, Utror, which will be responsible for mapping and developing offshore aquaculture off the Helgeland coast. However, the authorities have not yet decided which areas will be subject to impact assessments.
- We are waiting with excitement to see which areas are selected.
If Norway is going to produce food at sea, it is important to ensure that the ripple effects come back to Norway, says Meland.
- We must not end up in a situation where we develop and build the technology in Asia, buy feed from Scotland and fly in employees from Portugal. Nor should we have a staffing agency from Ireland and transport the fish to slaughter in Denmark and buy smolt from Iceland. How we choose to build the industry will have a lot to say for future generations.
- It is important that we have common sense, so that we can enjoy offshore aquaculture as much as we do today's oil industry. We are not only fighting this battle for ourselves, but for our children and the generations that come after us.
What do you think about critics saying that the salmon industry is not sustainable?
- If we look at the big picture, the rest of the world wants us to succeed in producing more seafood. By adopting new areas, new technology, new operating methods and new site structures, we can improve the situation for wild salmon.
The case is based on Intrafish's Friday interview published on June 17, 2022. Read the article here .