Agri Kultuur August / Agustus 2016 | Page 16

The Vaccination of Salmon Smolts ment of Ocean Forest, a partnership between the Bellona Foundation and the Lerøy Seafood Group. The aim of Ocean Forest is to develop and establish new forms of biomass production tied to aquaculture. The objective is to solve aquaculture’s environmental challenges and help remove CO2 from the atmosphere while being economically sustainable. Ocean Forest uses the world has enough of – saltwater, algae and CO2, to produce something that we have too little of: food, feed, energy and fuel. In the sea, interactions between a number of species and the environment they live in develop naturally. The results are harvested in the form of higher output and a better environment. Seaweeds, also called macro algae, can be grown on a The author visiting a salmon farm in Norway large scale together with farmed fish. So can mussels, benthic and microalgae. Large-scale cultivation of algae and shells will help to reduce climate change through its uptake and storage of CO2. Ocean Forest wants to build plants that remove more CO2 than it generates and thus develop key environmental solutions through synergies between biology and technology. These solutions will create better production conditions for existing industry and creating the basis for new products such as food, feed for fish and animals in a world with significant population growth. Energy and fertilizer are other products that can result from the Ocean Forest concept. Ocean Farming: As part of a pilot project launched November last year, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research in Norway Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs announced it would grant free development concessions for up to 15 years for projects promoting technology that can solve the environmental and acreage challenges facing the aquaculture sector. If the projects fulfill a set of fixed criterions, the license can be converted into commercial licenses at a cost of NOK 10 million. The conversion is based on the fact that they have made big investments that benefit the industry. As of February, at least eight Norwegian companies had applied for the new development licenses. Masoval Fiskeoppdrett has sought three concessions for its salmon delousing ship HeliXir. AkvaDesign has applied for six concessions for its compact closed cage system, while Marine Harvest together with Hauge Aqua have applied for 14 licenses towards a competing egg-shaped closed farming concept. Conclusion: Norway is taking the lead in conservation marine aquaculture practices. The world is three quarters ocean, and the sea holds the key to solving many of our food security challenges. The sea can produce biomass for food, fish feed, materials, fuel, and pure bioenergy. Algae attracts CO2 and combat acid seas, and removes CO2 from the atmosphere. It is time that we utilize this resource to the best for the future conservation of our planet. E-mail: [email protected]