New regulations require producers to take responsibility for waste management in fishing and aquaculture.
Nofir, a Norwegian company focused on collecting and recycling discarded fishing gear, has launched Profa, a company aimed at helping the aquaculture sector manage upcoming EU regulations.
CEO Øistein Aleksandersen emphasized the need for industry control to avoid high costs, referencing former environment minister Thorbjørn Berntsen’s call for industries to “handle their own waste or face expensive government intervention.” Profa aims to ensure a smooth transition to meet new regulations, potentially saving the industry from estimated annual costs of NOK 650 million ($59.8 million).
The new EU directive on plastic products will require producers to be responsible for collecting, transporting, and processing discarded fishing and aquaculture equipment. While the Norwegian Environment Agency hopes the regulation will be in place by the end of 2024, Aleksandersen predicts a more realistic start in the first half of 2025.
“We already have a well-established value chain for collecting and recycling this type of equipment in Norway, and our close collaboration with industry players makes us well-equipped to implement an effective system,” Aleksandersen said.
The Norwegian Environment Agency estimates that 44,667 tonnes of waste from the fishing, aquaculture, and recreational fishing sectors will need to be processed under the new regulations, at a cost of NOK 14,500 per tonne, resulting in the potential NOK 650 million ($60 million) total.
Aleksandersen cautioned that authorities should reassess certain aspects of the plan, suggesting that collection efforts focus on the largest waste streams rather than smaller ports, which can be costly and time-consuming to manage.
“The industry is recycling more than ever before, but a more systematic approach from product to recycler will be a crucial step toward a circular economy,” Aleksandersen concluded.
Nofir sent 6,153 tonnes of aquaculture gear for material recycling last year.
