Norwegian government unveils animal welfare policy with focus on aquaculture.
The Norwegian government presented its new Animal Welfare Policy on December 20, outlining its approach to ensuring the welfare of animals, including farmed fish, pets, and livestock. The policy sets high ambitions for the seafood industry, emphasizing systematic improvements to reduce mortality rates and enhance welfare practices.
Jon Arne Grøttum, director of aquaculture at Sjømat Norge, the country’s largest seafood organization, welcomed the focus on fish welfare. “We share the government’s commitment to placing fish welfare at the center,” he said, noting that the organization will carefully review the policy and provide feedback during the consultation process.
Sjømat Norge also highlighted the importance of integrating the Animal Welfare Policy with the upcoming Aquaculture Policy, set to be presented in spring 2025.
Mortality Reduction a Priority
The government has made it clear that reducing mortality in aquaculture is a priority, a stance supported by Sjømat Norge.
Karoline Skaar Amthor, environmental and health manager at Sjømat Norge, emphasized, “Reducing mortality is non-negotiable. Unacceptable incidents must have consequences, and society must trust that aquaculture operators make the right decisions at the right time.”
The organization also called for similar standards to be applied to cleaner fish, stating that their health and welfare must be ensured or their use discontinued.
Sjømat Norge has already initiated efforts to address welfare and health issues in aquaculture, including measures to reduce infection pressure and improve production practices. The organization is developing guidelines for quantifying fish welfare, creating digital solutions for welfare documentation, and aligning industry practices with regulatory requirements.
Plans for Welfare Regulation
Sjømat Norge has outlined a plan to address fish welfare, which includes:
- Guidelines for welfare in production (2022/2023)
- Systems for quantifying welfare indicators (2023)
- Digital solutions for documenting live fish welfare (2023 onward)
Amthor added that the existing regulatory framework is fragmented and sometimes contradictory, creating uncertainty. “In such cases, there must be no doubt about what constitutes acceptable decisions regarding fish welfare,” she said.
Sjømat Norge is prioritizing this effort to ensure that the welfare of farmed fish is clearly defined and systematically upheld across the industry.
