Cermaq’s Harald Takle on innovation, lice control, and global challenges in salmon farming.
Speaking at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) on Tuesday, Harald Takle, Cermaq’ Head of Strategy and Seawater Innovation took the opportunity to draw a contrast between the regulatory landscape in key salmon-producing regions, drawing sharp contrasts between Norway, Canada, and Chile.
“In Norway, we still have national growth ambitions for this industry. I think within a couple of years, we will be back on track when it comes to reasonable regulation and predictability,” he said.
However, he was critical of the regulatory approach in Canada, where political decisions have created uncertainty for the industry.
“In Canada, we don’t have an innovation system—we have politicians who want to force innovation through regulation, and that doesn’t work. It has collapsed,” he stated.
Regarding Chile, Takle sees limited potential for further expansion. “Production is plateauing—I don’t see how we can have a lot of growth there.”
He also pointed to the uncertain future of salmon farming in British Columbia, where the federal government has pursued a policy of removing open-net farms.
“A month ago, it looked extremely negative. But with a change of government, there is hope that there will still be an industry on Vancouver Island and in BC,” he said.
The future of open-net farming
Despite regulatory pressures, Takle remains confident in the future of open-net farming, arguing that industry-wide collaboration is essential for maintaining social license.
“A lot of what we have done in the past ten years is starting to give results,” he said. “Considering our quite low social license, I think we need to work together much more than we have— even though we have already done quite a lot.”
The company is also exploring submersible cages for use in northern Norway, where colder temperatures present challenges for traditional farming methods. In Canada, deep skirts have proven effective for lice control, eliminating the need for reactive treatments.
“We haven’t used our mechanical equipment for almost a year now,” Takle noted, underscoring the effectiveness of preventive measures.
