This is shown by a recent poll conducted by Norstat for news. – I don’t fear for my job, but I think it is now slowing down, especially in the supplier industry. I have many acquaintances there, who now fear less upcoming orders. That’s what Brynjar Forseth, shift leader in Salmar on Frøya, says. The 25-year-old, like many other young people, has invested in a job in the industry, and has taken a master’s degree in aquaculture. – We were told that this was what was going to take over after the oil. The salmon is a sustainable source of protein that it is important to focus on. Greatest opposition on Frøya In an opinion poll among voters in nine large aquaculture municipalities in this country, most say no to the ground rent tax. Opposition is clearly greatest on Frøya, where 81 per cent respond that they are against the government’s proposal for a ground rent tax on aquaculture. In Austevoll, 67 per cent of those questioned are against the tax, and in Nærøysund the figure is 61 per cent. – This does not surprise me at all. That’s what mayor Kristin Strømskag (H) says in Frøya. Frøya mayor Kristin Strømskag (H) believes the aquaculture industry must have conditions that enable them to continue to grow, which she believes the municipality will benefit from. Photo: Morten Andersen / news This is a major industry in the municipality, and according to Strømskag, most people are connected to the aquaculture industry in one way or another. – When it goes well for some, it goes well for everyone. It’s going well for the hotels, it’s going well for the shops, it’s going well for construction. And then we have a secondary school aimed at the blue industry, in which young people envision a future. We will take care of this. In recent years, many new large buildings have been erected in the municipal center on Frøya, thanks to the profitability of the aquaculture industry. Photo: Morten Andersen / news news’s aquaculture survey news, in collaboration with Norstat, has selected nine aquaculture municipalities where we have asked 1,000 voters about their party choice in the municipal elections and their views on the government’s proposal for a ground rent tax on aquaculture. The nine municipalities are all located in the counties where the aquaculture industry (fish farming) is largest and most important; Troms and Finnmark, Nordland, Trøndelag, Møre and Romsdal and Vestland. The municipalities in the survey are all among those with the greatest value creation in the aquaculture industry in their county when you look at payments from the aquaculture fund. The largest urban municipalities are not included in the measurement, even though they may have a large share of value creation. Municipalities where Norstat has asked (with the number of respondents in brackets): Hammerfest (161), Senja (211), Steigen (37), Lurøy (27), Nærøysund (139), Frøya (75), Smøla (30), Kinn ( 245), Austevoll (75). The number of respondents depends on the population in the municipality. Ap and Sp go head-to-head Even though most people are against a salmon tax in the aquaculture municipalities, a narrow majority is in favor of a “salmon tax” in both Hammerfest and Senja. Overall for the nine municipalities, 47 percent are against the tax, 31 percent are in favor and 22 percent say they are unsure. But the governing parties will suffer in the poll. The Labor Party and the Center Party have the greatest decline in the aquaculture municipalities, while the Conservative Party and the Progressive Party are doing strongly. Party barometer aquaculture municipalities Party choice among voters in nine selected aquaculture municipalities, Hammerfest, Senja, Steigen, Lurøy, Nærøysund, Frøya, Smøla, Kinn and Austevoll. Compared with the parties’ overall support in elections 2019 in the same nine municipalities. Party support Change24.9%HøyreH+9,722.8 %ArbeiderpartietAP−9,013.0%FremskrittspartietFRP+5,010.5%SenterpartietSP−9,98,0%Socialist Left PartySV+2,36,3%RødtR+2,55,4%VenstreV+0,82,9%Christian People’s PartyKRF−1 ,22.7%Industry and business partyINP+2.71.4%Environment party De GrønneMDG−1.72.1%OtherAndre−1.2997 interviews conducted in the period 11.4.23–14.4.23. Margins of error from 1.3–3.9 pp. Source: Norstat Labor Party mayor Terje Wikstrøm in Hammerfest does not think the discussion about the salmon tax will cause major upheavals in the local elections in the autumn. Photo: Gyda Katrine Hesla / news – I think this illustrates much of the media coverage of the case. It is complex, and there have been many negative reports about the ground rent tax. That’s what Terje Wikstrøm, (Ap) mayor of Hammerfest says. He still does not think this one case will cause major upheavals in the local elections. – There is uncertainty in the people, and the electorate is shifting. We in the Labor Party must be aware that the political picture has changed in recent years. But we must be aggressive, and invest in taking Hammerfest further in the next four-year period. Mayor Svein Roksvåg (Sp) in Smøla believes that the unrest caused by the salmon tax at the start has calmed down somewhat. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news Has caused a lot of trouble Smøla also caused a lot of trouble at the start, but at the same time there is an understanding that more of the income goes to the municipality. – Aquaculture is a major industry in Smøla, and the “salmon tax” affects many. But as the proposal is now, with a minimum deduction of 70 million and that wealth tax on investments was removed, I feel things have calmed down. That’s what Svein Roksvåg, mayor (Sp) of Smøla says. In Austevoll, the proposal for ground rent tax is perceived as an attack on an important industry. – Many people work there themselves, or know someone who works in this field. That is why the opposition is great, says Conservative mayor Morten Storebø. Should pay more The poll clearly shows that most people think the aquaculture industry must pay more in tax than it does today. At the edge of the cage outside Frøya, shift leader Brynjar Forseth is still optimistic. – This is my future, and I hope the parties work together to find good solutions. – Do you think the breeders should also contribute more to the community? – Yes, they must contribute. But there is a difference between milking the cow and slaughtering it. The natural conditions along our coast make farming extra favorable, as here outside Siholmen on Frøya. Photo: Morten Andersen / news
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A majority of voters in large aquaculture municipalities are against the government’s proposal for land rent tax – news Trøndelag
