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Norway’s salmon tax debated at Aqua Nor 2023

Norway’s controversial tax on salmon and trout farmers was placed on the spotlight once more when it became the topic of a debate at the opening day (Aug. 22) of the Aqua Nor 2023 conference in Trondheim, Norway.

Thorvald Tandem, editor of  Norsk Fiskerinærin, led a panel of debaters as they discussed key questions and consequences of the bill which took effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

The panelists were Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Policy, Bjørnar Skjæran; Parliament Member (H) Olve Grotle; Adm. Dir. Geir Ove Ystmark of Seafood Norway; and Ragnar Nystøyl at Konatali Analysis.

The tax has been staunchly attacked in Norway’s aquaculture industry. Both the parliamentary representative Olve Grotle of the Conservative Party and the industry organizations agree that the consequences are mainly about lower investment ability and willingness.

Grotle pointed out that the tax means, the aquaculture industry will have less money to invest in surrounding industries in the aquaculture municipalities.

Skjæran said the political goal of the tax was to increase the values in the local communities where the values are created. The Labor Party believes that the resource rent tax contributes to realizing this goal.

Ystmark of Seafood Norway said that solving the details around the tax “will lead to an insane reporting obligation for breeders and more bureaucracy.”

The panelists agreed that Norway’s aquaculture industry did all it can to inform politicians of industry realities. The also agreed that despite the consequences and industry oposition, the tax is here to stay.