Norwegian aquaculture must do more to nurture trust

Norway’s aquaculture industry stands at a crossroads. The question is not whether the industry should change, but how it can evolve sustainably while ensuring long-term profitability. That balance is not only possible, but necessary. Progress must begin with honesty and a narrative that can nurture trust in the industry and its practices.

Aquaculture plays a vital role in global food production and the national economy. In 2023 alone, Norway exported 1.5 million tonnes of seafood worth NOK 43.3 billion. Globally, aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector. But it faces increasing pressure, from environmental concerns from fish mortality rates to changing societal expectations and heightened scrutiny from the public.

Important reputational challenges

Escaped fish can disrupt wild populations, spread disease and competing for resources. The use of wild-caught fish as feed raises questions about the broader sustainability of the system. An estimated 23.4 million tonnes of wild-caught small fish are made into fishmeal and fish oil each year​. Campaigners have long warned of the impact from the aquaculture industry taking food from coastal communities and wildlife.

Societal attitudes toward fish welfare are shifting, particularly among younger generations. The industry must adapt to these expectations, or risk losing consumer trust. According to the latest Eurobarometer survey from 2025, the consumption of fish and aquaculture products is declining. Compounding the issue are communication gaps: misunderstandings about antibiotic use, or assumptions that sustainability efforts are more rhetoric than reality.

Misunderstandings about antibiotic use, or assumptions that sustainability efforts are more rhetoric than reality.

While salmon farming mortality rates have been reported to decline in 2024 from 2023, it is still at a high 15.4%. That is still far away from the government’s newly agreed goal of 5%, posing both practical and economic challenges.

Transforming the narrative

Progress begins with honesty. Acknowledging the challenges doesn’t weaken the industry’s position, it strengthens it. Transparency builds credibility, with the public and regulators. It opens the door to meaningful dialogue and shared solutions. Transparent communication and consistent stakeholder engagement can help bridge these gaps. Aligning messaging with evolving ESG expectations isn’t just about reputation, it’s about earning long-term trust from consumers, regulators and investors.

Progress begins with honesty. Acknowledging challenges doesn’t weaken the industry’s position — it strengthens it.

Regulatory surf and turf

Smart regulation plays a central role in shaping the future of aquaculture. It must set clear environmental expectations but also provide enough flexibility for innovation to take place. Getting this balance right is not easy, and Sweden offers a cautionary tale. In the early 1970s, the country had a growing salmon aquaculture industry.

A combination of overregulation making it impossible to run even a family sized farm, and strong opposition to aquaculture from the fishing industry, among others, led to its decline. Norway didn’t go down the route of overregulation at the time, which is one of the reasons it continued to flourish. The lesson is not to avoid regulation, but to design it with long-term development in mind.

There is also much to be learned from other sectors. Agriculture, for example, has shown us the risks of relying too heavily on monocultures. A 2023 study found that diversified farming systems can lead to gains in biodiversity and yield in 80% of cases. Diversity, whether in species, methods or thinking, can make systems more resilient. Working with nature, rather than against it, produce better outcomes in the long run.

A way forward

Innovation, both technological and biological, will be crucial for the future of aquaculture. Land-based farming is already showing promise, though it’s not without its challenges. For instance, land-based farms may face significant technical and financial hurdles, including high construction costs, substantial energy consumption and the need for advanced waste management systems. Smart regulation can and should help accelerate these new innovations and remove some of the barriers.

New tools such as AI-driven monitoring systems can help detect disease early and optimise production conditions. And breeding alternative species reduce dependency on a narrow set of farmed fish, with all the risks that come with it. Relying heavily on a limited number of species can increase vulnerability to diseases and market fluctuations, as seen in traditional monoculture practices. A broader range of species farmed, particularly lower in the food chain, can also open up new markets and cater to younger generations of consumers.

Norway already has many of the elements needed to lead in sustainable aquaculture: deep knowledge, a long history, a strong research base and a long coastline well-suited to production. But leadership will depend on more than natural resources. To secure a future where the industry thrives both economically and environmentally, we need a thoughtful mix of innovation, foresight, strategic communication and honesty.