Publisert dato 30.04.2025  Saksbehandler: Arne Roger Hansen

On April 10, the government presented its long-awaited aquaculture report. Expectations were high that we would finally receive a report that takes nature and our shared wild fish seriously, after 50 years of operations in open cages with severe and negative consequences for our shared environment in the fjords, and which are driving the extinction of our wild fish stocks as a final result.

A well-boat picks up salmon for slaughter. Photo: Thomas Bjørkan License: CC BY-SA 3.0

The government is completely betraying the coastal cod.

The government is accelerating the pace and now paving the way for further escalation of cod farming, with the cost being paid by the coastal ecosystem and shared resources. As if no lessons have been learned from the mistakes of the salmon industry, the government continues to facilitate the system for ongoing growth in cod farming. When we repeatedly write to the government and the ministry warning about the effects of cod farming, they respond by calling for more, as the aquaculture report clearly demonstrates. This is an insult to both the coast, wild cod, coastal ecosystems, and all those who invest time in preserving a healthy and viable coastline in Norway.

All the environmental problems we know all too well from the salmon farming industry are clearly present in the cod farming industry, and the burden on our already overloaded fjords will increase dramatically.

When the government presented its aquaculture report on April 10, expectations were high that we would finally receive a report that took nature and our shared wild fish seriously. After 50 years of operations in open cages, with severe and negative consequences for our shared environment in the fjords, and which have led to the extinction of our wild fish stocks as a final result, we had a strong hope that the government would take the side of nature.

NMF was particularly hopeful that the government would take our, and the researchers' warnings seriously about the fact that "The new aquaculture adventure," with increasing cod farming, is highly likely to have significant negative impacts on the coastal cod stocks. NMF has repeatedly pointed out that cod farming simply does not have a viable future and has called for a complete halt to all farming of this fish species.

But the disappointment was great. Not a single word about cod farming in the 100-page long report, which mostly focuses on sea lice, mortality in the cages, and how the industry can grow if they manage to get the two parameters—sea lice and mortality—under control.

On the contrary, NMF reads the report as indicating that the government aims to remove the requirement to apply for permits with specific species. In other words, one would only need to apply for an aquaculture permit without having to specify which species or the amount of fish for which a permit is requested. Furthermore, NMF believes that this could lead to the possibility of switching between species that a farmer can farm, as long as all other criteria from higher authorities, such as discharge permits, lice limits, etc., are approved. In other words, if a farmer struggles to stay within the sea lice limits with salmon and trout farming, they could easily switch to farming cod, as sea lice do not settle on cod.

Quote from the aquaculture report

There will still be a requirement for a permit under the Aquaculture Act to operate aquaculture. The aquaculture permit, according to the proposal, will grant the right to aquaculture production in a specific geographic area but will not contain quantity or species restrictions.

Normal cod fished by the shore Foto: Arnstein Rønning Licence:CC BY-SA 3.0

What has NMF done previously, and why is cod farming so dangerous?

As we see it, cod farming poses a major threat to Norwegian wild fish, coastal ecosystems, our coastal culture, and our unique coastline.

The government clearly does not realize the seriousness of the risk of introducing genetically poor traits from degenerated farmed cod into our wild cod stocks. There have been several massive escapes where the industry has clearly shown that they are not mature enough to handle such an important species as cod. 87,000 sexually mature farmed cod escaped from a facility in Volda, and in Meløy, large amounts of escaped sexually mature farmed cod were caught, while the company refused to acknowledge that fish had escaped from their facility. It was only when the Directorate of Fisheries genetically tested the cod and confirmed that it came from Norcod’s facility in Meløy that they admitted the fish came from their farm. Furthermore, in more recent times, 22,000 cod escaped from a Norcod facility in Nesna municipality. All of these incidents have been reported by NMF. See links. (Note, the reports were filed before it was known how much cod had escaped.)

PDF :Cod escape from Meløy Municipality

PDF: Cod escape from Nesna Municipality

See the government's response to us when we submitted a concern about the damage we know can occur from cod farming here.

PDF: Response to inquiry about cod farming from the Ministry of Fisheries.

Deformed cod from fish farm

Spawning in the Cages:

Farmed cod is known to spawn in the cages, likely due to the unusual environmental conditions with high temperatures and abundant light. This results in large amounts of eggs and sperm from the farmed cod being released into the fjord, and the native coastal cod will then become genetically intermixed with a type of cod that does not belong in the fjord. Over time, this could lead to the extinction of the native coastal cod. (See link)

Fish in a single aquaculture facility can release several tens of billions of cod eggs – Coast and Fjord.

The difference and the negative consequences for the wild cod stock are the same as with the interbreeding of farmed salmon into the native wild salmon stock. Coastal cod is native to the same extent as wild salmon

The fish farmers are attempting, to the best of their ability, to control sexual maturation and spawning by using and manipulating the light the fish are exposed to. Since light manipulation is one of the key tools to prevent cod from reaching sexual maturity and spawning, there is a significant risk that both technical and human failures could lead to spawning and severe genetic contamination of the unique coastal cod. This has been observed in several previous attempts.

It is claimed by those in the farming industry that the cod they wish to farm today is genetically adapted/bred to be "slower, dumber, and lazier," and to grow faster than their wild counterparts. These are artificially bred traits that should absolutely not be mixed into the unique wild fjord and coastal cod. (link)

Here are the Norwegian cods (forskning.no)

The government recently published a consultation document on spawning in the cages.

Here is NMF's input:

PDF: Høringsvar Gyting i Merdene

Bildet: Oppdrettsanlegg  Foto: Marius Fiskum  Lisens: CC BY 3.0

Escape of Cod from the Cages:

Escape of cod in open cages was also a major problem in previous attempts at cod farming, as they gnawed their way out of the cages, leading to the same negative issues with spawning for the native cod stock. Even though today's farmed cod is bred for a "calmer" behavior, escapes will, of course, still occur in the current cod farming operations, as we have pointed out regarding Meløy, Volda, and Nesna. These cases are certainly not the last we will hear about in the future.

Escaped cod will quickly adapt to the local conditions and will participate in the seasonally-driven spawning alongside their wild counterparts. This escaped cod will then spread its genes year after year among the native cod stock, with significant negative consequences and a higher survival rate than during spawning in the cages.

If we draw parallels to the farming of anadromous salmonids, which escape in large numbers every year, it can also be argued that the escape of cod is even more dramatic. After all, anadromous fish, in addition to escaping, must find their way into a salmon-bearing river and overcome the obstacle that river migration can present. In contrast, farmed cod escapes directly into the fjords used for spawning by the local coastal cod.

Animal abuse:

Farming cod is animal abuse in the same way as farming farmed salmon and farmed trout. From salmon farming, it is known that 20% of the released fish die due to poor animal welfare before they reach slaughter size. These are strikingly high numbers, especially considering that the farming industry has "refined" its methods over 60 years of farming salmonids. How will this number look for cod, about which we know very little? Not long ago, 48,000 cod died at a facility owned by Statt Torsk. (see link)

48.000 fisk døde hos Statt Torsk | Finansavisen

Cod is not a particularly schooling fish and will experience the overcrowding in the cages as a stressful situation. When species that are not schooling fish are kept in close proximity, the chances of wounds, injuries, and subsequent diseases and outbreaks increase. In addition to the problems this creates for the fish in the cages, this is also contamination that will spread to wild cod in the fjords. Cod is a bottom-dwelling fish, and in farming, it is forced to live closely together at the surface. This increases exposure to diseases, infections, and a significant chance of physical deformities due to pressure differences, etc.

Previous attempts at cod farming revealed significant challenges with deformities in the fish, with as much as 50% showing major physical defects. (See images)

Pollution:

The pollution from the cages in cod farming will be proportionally the same as with other fish farming. Fish waste and remnants will flow into the fjord by the ton every day throughout the year, leading to the sedimentation of the seabed in large areas under and around such facilities. Any coral formations and a range of other species living in the benthic fauna of Norwegian fjords are extremely vulnerable to even small changes caused by bottom pollution.

Also, seaweed, kelp, and other vegetation are vulnerable to sediment being displaced, and these are exposed as the sediment is carried around by the currents. The vegetation's inability to tolerate the sediment itself often impacts large areas around the farms, but the seabed underneath and around the facility also becomes severely degraded, covered with mud and suffocated. The oxygen levels in the area will also gradually decrease with such discharges of organic matter, risking the slow but steady death of life in an increasing portion of the area. Attached is a film from NMF showing the conditions under the cages compared to the environmental surveys reported by the farmers themselves. Cod farming will, of course, release just as much fish waste and byproducts as any other fish farming. (see link)

MS Miljødronningen vs. MOM B 2 1280×720 – YouTube

Disease:

Cod can be affected by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. For example, nodavirus has been detected in cod, but it is unclear whether it poses a significant threat to the fish. Otherwise, we know very little about pathogens and diseases in cod, and if cod farming expands, new disease challenges will surely emerge. In 2004, a bacterial disease caused significant mortality in Norwegian cod farming.

The bacterium Francisella noatunensis eventually became the main problem in cod farming. It causes disease in cod and cannot be treated with antibiotics because it lives inside the fish's cells. There is also no vaccine for the disease. The bacterium has also been observed in escaped cod, with the potential to spread to wild cod populations. (see link) Intensive cod farming could eventually lead to significant problems with infectious diseases. These could be caused by already well-known pathogens (agents), known agents with altered forms (e.g., more aggressive variants), agents known from other species that adapt to cod, or previously unknown agents. They are primarily expected to pose a threat to the industry itself but could also threaten wild populations.

Torskeoppdrett | Havforskningsinstituttet (hi.no)

Acute problems are initially expected to be addressed with chemical treatments where possible (bacterial and parasitic diseases). In the long run, however, this will not be an acceptable strategy.

For some diseases, particularly those caused by viruses, chemical control methods cannot be relied upon under any circumstances. Viral diseases could pose a serious threat to the sustainable farming of cod. There are concerns that controlling viral diseases will be extremely difficult unless reasonable measures are put in place today to limit their spread. (Veterinary Institute) (See attached link to report).

In open-cage salmon and trout farming, there are struggles with no less than 16 known diseases. These diseases can all spread to wild fish, which will also get sick and die. These diseases are treated with a range of different medications, which in turn will be released into the sea through the feces of the treated fish.

These medications are added through the feed, which will also be consumed by wild fish due to feed spill. On average, a fish farm operates with as much as 7% feed spill. This amounts to enormous quantities, which will sink through the cages.

And these medications will again be consumed by the wild fish that graze beneath the cages. There is no reason to believe that cod will not also need to be treated with several different medications for various diseases, meaning the problems for wild fish with ingesting such medications will be the same as when wild fish consume feed spill from salmon and trout farms. A medicated fish is not allowed to be sold as food for humans and must spend a considerable amount of time fasting after treatment to rid itself of the medications. Wild fish, of course, do not have this option before we humans catch them for food. In this way, even those of us who fish for food will ingest these various medications that were intended for the sick farmed cod. NMF is certain that diseases that arise in the cages will spread to the wild fish in the area, with potentially fatal consequences for various species of fish beyond just cod, something that is also supported by several researchers.

Report about disease and viruses:

Miljøproblemer i forbindelse med oppdrett av torsk (vetinst.no)

The spread of disease:

Forsker: Ikke tvil om spredning av dødelig virus fra oppdrettsfisk til villfisk | DN

Cod lice and Scot lice:

Just like salmon, cod also have lice. Both Scot lice and Cod lice are common on cod. Especially, Scot lice spread freely to other species. This means that lice spread to the local coastal cod and other species in the fjord from farmed cod will create the same problems as the spread of salmon lice to wild salmon from the open cages that produce salmon and trout. In fact, one can expect that the occurrence of lice related to farmed cod will be even more dramatic than the lice situation for salmon.

Salmon lice, after all, need salmonid fish to exist, while the lice associated with cod will be able to spread freely among a much larger number of potential hosts, who also "hang around" the farms to feed on feed spillage and excrement. When the lice problems become too severe, cod will also have to be treated with lice pesticides, similar to salmon and trout farming. These pesticides will spread throughout the fjord and kill shellfish that come into contact with these chemicals. Pesticides and medications will also spread through the food chain, potentially ending up on the plates of those who fish in the fjord for food. Extensive use of cleaner fish is also not an acceptable method, both due to animal welfare concerns for the cleaner fish, the ecological role of cleaner fish in the sea, and ethical considerations.

Wild fish graze on farm feed:

NMF is also concerned about wild fish gathering under the facilities to feed on feed waste. Fish that graze under the aquaculture facilities experience reduced quality, and both local hobby fishermen and professional fishermen will be negatively impacted by this. Previous studies have documented that, on average, 10.2 tons of wild fish, representing 16 different species, are found around each aquaculture facility. The impact on the local ecosystem is massive.

Fish caught near aquaculture facilities will also not be able to be sold as food fish by the local fishermen, both due to deteriorated quality and also due to uncertainty regarding medication, lice treatments, and withdrawal time. Wild fish essentially become fat and sluggish by eating aquaculture feed.

There are several examples of this from fish that have grazed under the pens with farmed salmon and trout. (see link)

The accumulation of wild fish under the facilities will also significantly increase the spread of sea lice and diseases.

Wild fish getting fed by pellets - pisses me off - Newsarticle from NRK Hordaland

Jobs at fish farming facilities

Fish farmers always entice with promises of many local jobs. However, the numbers they present often turn out to be unrealistic. A typical fish farming facility with 4-8 cages employs only 3-5 people, who usually manage multiple facilities. Most of the work is now digitalized, with automated feeding machines replacing manual labor. Moreover, seasonal workers hired through the EEA agreement are often employed, as they have different wage and working hour requirements compared to Norwegian workers.

Østeuropeere er den perfekte utenlandske arbeider | FriFagbevegelse

One factor that shouldn't be overlooked is that established fish farms also have a negative impact on other industries, such as local fishermen, tourism, etc. These jobs are often affected to such an extent that they are effectively pushed out of the areas. Coexistence between fish farming and other industries is often challenging in practice

Vi har avgitt nok områder – Folkebladet

Article in Dagbladet Where Fishermen Despair Over the Situation:

– En økologisk katastrofe

NMF demands, based on these points individually and in total, that all new and previously applied for permits for cod farming in open systems be rejected/prohibited, and that existing permits be immediately required to be terminated.

The ecosystems of the Norwegian coast cannot tolerate a new "aquaculture adventure" in the form of cod farming.