Moving all salmon in closed facilities can help the salmon industry avoid problems with lice and escape. But even though the authorities have signaled that they want more farming in closed farms, it is not a given that the salmon industry will get the thumbs up. – We could have had a closed, well-functioning plant today. That’s what Idar Lindanger, who is general manager of Nordic Blu Technology AS, says. Idar Lindanger is frustrated by the long waiting time for development permits. Photo: private His company has developed the technology behind the planned closed breeding facility for Wenberg Fiskeopdrett AS. In 2017, Wenberg Fish Farming in Fauske municipality submitted its first application to the Directorate of Fisheries for a so-called development permit for closed aquaculture facilities in the sea for salmon. Six years later, the farming company has not received a final response to the application. – Lack of respect After rejection in November 2019, the case was appealed to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, NFD. The matter has remained there ever since. Idar Lindanger believes that the processing of the case is far overtime, and that it shows a lack of respect. – The arrogance the authorities show here towards the business players is absolutely incredible, says Idar Lindanger. He criticizes the Directorate of Fisheries for the implementation of the guidelines. – They are terrified that they will treat the different actors who apply differently, considering the guidelines they have for the applications, says Lindanger. History of the case 17 November 2017: The Directorate of Fisheries receives an application from Wenberg fiskeopdrett AS for development permits for closed cages. 2 August 2018: The Directorate of Fisheries sends a notice that the application would be considered and that the applicant could submit supplementary information within 3 weeks. 23 August 2018: Wenberg submitted supplementary information. 25 January 2019: The Directorate of Fisheries sends Wenberg a letter stating that they considered the concept to fall under the scheme of development permits. The Directorate also requested some additional information on 8 February 2019: The Directorate of Fisheries, Wenberg, TechnipFMC and BioVivo are holding a meeting. Wenberg informed that they were considering making certain changes to the concept. 2 April 2019: Wenberg sends answers to the questions in the Directorate of Fisheries’ letter of 25 January 2019. 14 and 19 June 2019: The Directorate of Fisheries sends two e-mails to Wenberg stating that the questions the Directorate asked in the letter of 25 January were not satisfactorily answered. The directorate also asked for an update on how far the project had progressed in the design phase, and that concept changes from the time of application were described. 29 August 2019: New meeting between the Directorate of Fisheries, Wenberg, Technip FMC and BioVivo. Animations of a changed OceanTECH concept were shown in the meeting, among other things. 3 October 2019: Wenberg sends a written response to the email from 14 and 19 June 2019, and written information and animations of the changes in the concept. 26 November 2019: The Directorate of Fisheries rejects the application. December 2019: Wenberg complains about the rejection. May 2020: Submits complaint and recommendation to the Ministry of Industry and Fisheries. Originally, Wenberg applied with his partners, on behalf of himself and the breeding company Edelfarm AS. Managing director Ørjan Wenberg of Wenberg Fish Farming agrees that they have waited too long. – You have waited long enough when you have waited for six years. Now Wenberg hopes that the ministry will be able to process the case, so that the company will either receive a yes or a no. – The consequence is that there are many projects that are not started. Then you don’t get the development that was the idea with the scheme at the time, says Wenberg. Too big a risk to carry out on your own Lindanger says that starting the project on your own would be too big a risk. – If we were to do it without a development permit, we would have had to buy licenses ourselves. – It will be too expensive, states Lindanger. Being granted a development permit means that the companies do not need to buy licenses from the Directorate of Fisheries. The licenses are for the permitted amount of fish in the cages. – If you hadn’t made the technology work, you could have lost a billion, claims Lindanger. He believes that granting development permission is risk-free and does not cost the state anything. The company could transfer the allowances it already owns to the new facility. But this would not be financially sound for the company. – Then there is no point for us to spend a billion on making new cages, if we are not allowed to increase the quota to recoup that investment, says Lindanger. He believes the solution is to grant several of the applications for five or seven years. After this, the authorities can consider converting these into ordinary licences. – If they then have a technology that works, they can convert it into normal licences, says Lindanger. – If they do not get the technology, the authorities can withdraw these development permits. The ministry understands the frustration. news has been in contact with the Directorate of Fisheries, which indicates that the matter is pending appeals at the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. The ministry informs news that they understand that business operators may find that the processing time is long. – The Ministry of Trade and Fisheries has many appeals related to special permit schemes for processing, and this is work we give high priority to, writes Kjersti Vartdal. She is department director for aquaculture policy and economics in the Ministry’s Aquaculture Department. Vartdal explains that there are great values attached to such permits. – We are concerned that all applications should be thoroughly processed, writes Vartdal. A separate committee must be set up to look at the permit system for the aquaculture industry. This committee must submit its report by the end of September. – It inhibits the industry Communications manager at Seafood Norway, Øyvind André Haram, says that they do not have an overview of how many are waiting for development permits now, but that he has the impression that most have received answers. Øyvind André Haram is known for long processing times. Photo: SJØMAT NORGE Haram says he knows that several people have been critical of long processing times. – Several people have pointed out that it has taken time, says Haram. He understands that it will take some time to grant permits. – It is the authorities’ job to assess whether the applications are good or not, says Haram. Nevertheless, he is clear that it is not sustainable for the authorities to take so long. – It inhibits development. We need to develop this industry further, so that we continue to be the world leader in seafood, says Haram.
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Salmon farmers react to long processing times for development permits – news Nordland
