Early September: Another load of fish from the Pacific Ocean has arrived at the quay on Averøya on Møre. The facility is owned by the billion-dollar group Jangaard Export. The gray and blue bags contain cod that has been transported around more than half the globe. Soon the cod will become Norwegian. Tons and tons of salt bags are ready on the quay. They will be used to make salted Pacific cod fish. When the fish is salted, it can be exported to the world as Norwegian. It gives extra money in the coffers for Norebo and Jangaard Export. Releases sanctions The shipping company that caught the fish belongs to Norebo. It is one of the world’s most powerful fishing groups. Norebo is controlled by Russian fishing oligarch Vitaly Orlov. BILLIONAIRE: Vitaly Orlov has made a lot of money from fish. Photo: Dmitry Dukhanin / Kommersan Orlov started building his fishing empire on fishing rights he secured after the fall of the Soviet Union. Today, he is one of the biggest players in the large Russian fishing industry. The oligarchs in Russia usually lead companies of strategic importance for the country in the field of natural resources and technology, according to the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia’s definition. After the invasion of Ukraine, large parts of the world have introduced sanctions against Russian business. They are particularly aimed at oligarchs, and many have lost large sums of money. But Orlov’s activity in Norway is not affected by the sanctions, and he can legally trade with his Norwegian partners. ORLOV’S TOWER: High in London, Vitaly Orlov has a luxury apartment. His official address is Murmansk. Photo: Jørn Tomter The long journey This year, as last year, Jangaard Export chose to buy cod from Norebo. The Ålesund-based company’s main owner is the Haagensen family. Chairman of the board, Gunnar Haagensen, had a net worth of NOK 231 million in 2020. After Orlov’s fish is salted at Jangaard Export’s factory, the product is considered Norwegian. All fish processed in Norway can be sold as Norwegian products and with Norwegian tariffs. In the late summer and autumn, 27 freezer containers of cod arrived from Kamchatka to Ålesund harbour, before it was transported on trailers to Averøya. INTO SKUTVIKA: The last stop for the Norebo cod before Averøya is at Tyrholm & Farstad in Skutvika in Ålesund. Photo: Torstein Georg Bøe / news The cod from the Pacific Ocean comes to Norway by sea. The usual shipping route is: The journey does not end there. After salting, the cod is sent south again, to restaurants and dinner tables in southern Europe. Confirms purchase from Orlov So far this year, 700 tonnes of Pacific cod from Orlov’s company have made the long journey, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s overview shows. Jangaard Export’s chairman, Gunnar Haagensen, will not be interviewed, but he will answer some of the questions by e-mail. There he confirms that they are also importing Pacific cod from Norebo this autumn. – We also buy raw materials from Norwegian vessels, but this is not available in large enough volumes to cover our needs. We therefore buy fish from several other places in the world, including fish caught in the Pacific Ocean, writes Haagensen. Gunnar Haagensen (left) is chairman and one of the owners of Jangaard Export. The photo was taken when the prize for the world’s largest rockfish was awarded. Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council – The two agreements with Norebo that news refers to were entered into in January 2021 and January 2022 respectively. The two agreements make up approximately one percent of our total need for raw material. news has also asked Haagensen about the following: – The fish is environmentally certified, even if it is transported around the world. What considerations does Jangaard Export make about it? He has not responded to this. OCEAN SPIRIT: Under the plastic, news can see the logo “Ocean Spirit”, which is part of the Norebo group. Photo: Torstein Georg Bøe / news Orlov largest in Norway Orlov’s group has been the largest supplier of cod in Norway so far this year. From January to August this year, Norebo delivered 19,271 tonnes of cod in Norway. By comparison, the largest Norwegian company, Nordland Havfiske, delivered 12,224 tonnes. The figures are from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Directorate of Fisheries. Although the Russians already put a stop to almost all imports of Norwegian fish to Russia in 2014, the Russians are free to enter Norway. The Norwegian government has granted exemptions from sanctions for Russian fish. The rationale is that Norway wants to preserve the Norwegian-Russian management of the fish stock in the Barents Sea, and not put cooperation at risk. Jangaard Export’s facility on Averøya is located in the sea gap on the Mørekysten. Photo: Torstein Georg Bøe / news Denies that Orlov is an oligarch news has sent several questions to Sergey Sennikov. He is spokesperson and head of sustainability at Norebo. Among other things, we have asked the following questions: – After the cod has been processed in Norway, it is sold as a “Norwegian product”. How easy is it for customers to track that the product comes from the Bering Sea and a Russian shipping company? – The fish is environmentally certified, but how environmentally friendly is it to send fish over such great distances? He does not answer any of these questions, apart from stressing that they do not break any laws. Sennikov categorically denies that Orlov is an oligarch. – Norebo was not a product of the collapse of the Soviet Union, but of the free market – built on trade and hard work. Mr Orlov is simply not an oligarch. Hi! Do you have input for us? Do you know more about this case or other matters in the fishing industry that news should investigate? Feel free to contact us by e-mail, telephone or encrypted via SignalFredrik Kampevoll: +47 41 767 111 Line Plots: +47 971 50 094
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