Two Norwegian salmon farming zones dubbed "hellish production zones"!

On 6 November 2026, the autumn meeting of Sjømat Norge (Norwegian Seafood Federation) was held at the Edvard Grieg Hotel in Bergen. Professor Ragnar Tveterås of the University of Stavanger (Universitetet i Stavanger, UiS) discussed the industry changes brought by Norway's Aquaculture White Paper (Havbruksmeldingen), calling the two salmon farming zones PO3 and PO4 in western Norway "hellish production zones".

The label does not refer to harsh natural conditions in the local waters, but to the operating situation of sea lice problems that have long been difficult to control, regulatory ratings that come under repeated pressure, and reduced farming capacity. PO3 stretches from Karmøy to Sotra, and PO4 from Nordhordland to Stad. Both zones have long been plagued by sea lice; farming companies must invest funds in monitoring and de-licing treatments, and also face capacity restrictions triggered by the impact of sea lice on wild salmon.

Norway operates a traffic-light regulatory system, classifying coastal farming zones as green, yellow or red according to the environmental impact of sea lice on wild salmon. Green zones may apply to increase capacity, yellow zones maintain existing capacity, and red zones face capacity cuts. In the latest ratings published in June 2026, PO3 was again classified as red, with permitted farming capacity cut by 6%; PO4 was yellow, with capacity unchanged. Of Norway's 13 production zones, only 3 received a green rating, 9 are yellow, and PO3 is red.

The pressure of production cuts in PO3 has accumulated. Tveterås noted at the meeting that after three reductions, the zone's cumulative cut has reached 18%. Unless the Conservative Party (Høyre) can secure a parliamentary majority to halt the latest cut, local farming companies will still face capacity contraction. The 18% here is the cumulative reduction figure mentioned in his speech and is not the same data point as the single 6% cut in June 2026.

The two zones host a considerable farming industry. Norwegian aquaculture site registry data as of 2 November 2026 show that PO3 has 133 registered farms, with a combined licensed site capacity of 375,499 tonnes; PO4 has 137 registered farms, with a combined licensed site capacity of 413,230 tonnes. Together the two zones have 270 registered sites, with licensed capacity of about 788,700 tonnes. These figures are the sum of registered capacity at each site, not actual fish held or annual output.

Farming companies in PO3 include Sjøtroll Havbruk, Lerøy Vest, Mowi Norway, Bremnes Seashore, Bolaks, Lingalaks, Tysnes Fjordbruk, Kobbevik og Furuholmen Oppdrett, Tombre Fiskeanlegg, Erko Seafood, Fylkesnes Fisk, Eide Fjordbruk, Fjelberg Fjordbruk, Nordsjø Fjordbruk, Austevoll Melaks, Fremskridt Laks, Langøylaks, Telavåg Fiskeoppdrett and Quatro Laks, among others. Farming companies in PO4 include Mowi Seawater Norway, Lerøy Vest Sjø, Sjøtroll Havbruk Sjø, Eide Fjordbruk, Firda Havbruk, Blom Fiskeoppdrett, Erko Seafood, Lingalaks, Sulefisk, Steinvik Fiskefarm, Sandnes Fiskeoppdrett, Osland Genetics, Osland Seafood, Nordfjord Laks, Engesund Fiskeoppdrett, Landøy Havbruk and Svanøy Havbruk, among others. Some groups have farming operations in both zones.

Tveterås also noted that the sea lice problem is spreading to northern Norway. This year, several production zones in the north that previously had less sea lice pressure moved from green to yellow. He warned that regulatory pressure from sea lice is no longer confined to the traditional farming areas of the west.

The Norwegian government is studying tradable sea lice quotas, hoping to strengthen companies' management of sea lice emissions through a quota system. Tveterås believes a strict quota system could reduce the impact of farming activity on wild salmon, but could also prompt companies to increase the frequency of de-licing treatments, harming farmed fish welfare. Falling output and rising treatment costs could also squeeze company profits and affect employment in coastal areas.

Another measure under government study is a fee on lost fish. Tveterås is reserved about this, arguing that a fee cannot directly solve the problem of fish mortality. He joked about the potential administrative complexity with a reference to a "standard mortality committee", drawing laughter from the audience. Norwegian government budget documents show that the lost-fish fee scheme is still at the research and institutional design stage, with implementation planned from 1 January 2027.

Tveterås stressed that sea lice and disease prevention and control require companies to invest funds, and such investment must rely on after-tax cash flow. It is difficult for companies to complete all the upgrades while maintaining existing output, and they must also explore production methods that raise output and reduce sea lice impact in parallel. He advocates establishing a new institutional framework that clarifies model assessment, sea lice quota setting and regulatory amendment procedures, and provides stable expectations for farming companies to cooperate across sites. The meeting also noted that traffic-light research shows that strategically closing some farming sites may have cumulative effects. Whether PO3's latest capacity cut can be paused, and whether the lost-fish fee scheme can be implemented as planned in 2027, remain the next policy milestones.