THE FIRST YEARS OF ATLANTIC SALMON FARMING IN NORWAY - THE PIONEERS AND WHAT WE LEARNED.
In Norway, in the 1950-ies and 1060-ies, trials with production of large rainbow trout in sea water were done. In 1970, the Norwegian Fish Farmers Association (NFF) was established. The first well known success with farming of atlantic salmon had two pioneers, Thor Mowinkel, president of A.S. Mowi and the brothers Sivart and Ove GrTogether they in 1971 sold 100 tons of farmed salmon. A bonanza started. A number of small companies and individuals on the coast jumped on the salmon band wagon. By 1973, there were close to 200 small farms trying to produce salmon in cages in the sea. In 1973, a preliminary law required farms to be registered and to fulfill certain criteria, HJELT, K.A. 2000. All kind of cages was used, they were made of wood, steel or plastic and some farmers operated with narrow bays which had been closed by steel screens or nets. Hatcheries were built but shortage of salmon eggs and know-how created shortage of smolts. Shortage of quality smolts was a problem for the emerging industry until 1988 where there was a great surpluss.
Some of the pioneers:
Thor Mowinckel , one of the owners and President of A.S. Mowi pioneered with the help of Fridtjof Wiese-Hansen egg and smolt production and farmed salmon in two closed bays. A.S. Mowi also played an important role in marketing of farmed salmon.
Sivert and Ove Grimproved the design of an octagonal cage made of wood, styrofoam and rubber tires. This design was copied by many of the early salmon farmers. Sivert was also an important person in the salmon farmers organizations.
Hans Petter Meland and Steinar Olaisen developed together with Helgeland Betongvare Fabrikk the Polarcircle cage.
Tore Haastein was a fish veterinarian who did a fantastic job by giving the fish farmers lectures on hygiene and fish diseases. He was a key in fish disease diagnostic work, disease treatments and in issuing prescriptions.
Trygve Gjedrem and Harald Skjwere professors in animal genetics. They proposed a genetic selection program already in the first days of salmon farming. There advice was followed and turned out to be a huge success due to these two pioneers.
Professor Dag M was helpful with research and development as well as administration .
BjMyrseth was President of Sea farm A.S. a company pioneering transport and delivery of smolts, helping the many small farms with organizing the smolt transports and taking responsibility for mortality the first 30 days after delivery. By 1980, Sea farm delivered smolts to more than 70 farms along the coast. He was later one of the first to establish atlantic salmon farms in State of Washington, New Brunswick and British Columbia.
Fish feed companies and their staff ,Torolf Skretting and Finn hallingstad of T. Skretting A.S and Carl Seip Hanevold of Ewos A.S. all contributed to the industry in the early days (as they have continued to do).
The farmers shared information and experience at the meetings organized by NFF and by the two feed companies. This open innovation was extremely important for the development of a new industry which lacked knowledge on everything.
What we learned:
Juvenile production and quality is vital for success and growth of an industry.
Selective breeding systems should be started as early as possible
Government support for disease diagnostic work is important.
Government support financial ( in Norway loan guarantees) and political is important for a new industry.
Government regulations to regulate the supply according to market demand do not work.
Quality standard for a new product like farmed atlantic salmon is important for market acceptance and growth
Information and experience sharing are pushing the industry forward
The Table1 below shows some of the developments of the first 20 years of atlantic salmon farming in Norway
Some of the pioneers:
Thor Mowinckel , one of the owners and President of A.S. Mowi pioneered with the help of Fridtjof Wiese-Hansen egg and smolt production and farmed salmon in two closed bays. A.S. Mowi also played an important role in marketing of farmed salmon.
Sivert and Ove Grimproved the design of an octagonal cage made of wood, styrofoam and rubber tires. This design was copied by many of the early salmon farmers. Sivert was also an important person in the salmon farmers organizations.
Hans Petter Meland and Steinar Olaisen developed together with Helgeland Betongvare Fabrikk the Polarcircle cage.
Tore Haastein was a fish veterinarian who did a fantastic job by giving the fish farmers lectures on hygiene and fish diseases. He was a key in fish disease diagnostic work, disease treatments and in issuing prescriptions.
Trygve Gjedrem and Harald Skjwere professors in animal genetics. They proposed a genetic selection program already in the first days of salmon farming. There advice was followed and turned out to be a huge success due to these two pioneers.
Professor Dag M was helpful with research and development as well as administration .
BjMyrseth was President of Sea farm A.S. a company pioneering transport and delivery of smolts, helping the many small farms with organizing the smolt transports and taking responsibility for mortality the first 30 days after delivery. By 1980, Sea farm delivered smolts to more than 70 farms along the coast. He was later one of the first to establish atlantic salmon farms in State of Washington, New Brunswick and British Columbia.
Fish feed companies and their staff ,Torolf Skretting and Finn hallingstad of T. Skretting A.S and Carl Seip Hanevold of Ewos A.S. all contributed to the industry in the early days (as they have continued to do).
The farmers shared information and experience at the meetings organized by NFF and by the two feed companies. This open innovation was extremely important for the development of a new industry which lacked knowledge on everything.
What we learned:
Juvenile production and quality is vital for success and growth of an industry.
Selective breeding systems should be started as early as possible
Government support for disease diagnostic work is important.
Government support financial ( in Norway loan guarantees) and political is important for a new industry.
Government regulations to regulate the supply according to market demand do not work.
Quality standard for a new product like farmed atlantic salmon is important for market acceptance and growth
Information and experience sharing are pushing the industry forward
The Table1 below shows some of the developments of the first 20 years of atlantic salmon farming in Norway