Nordic Council of Ministers Report: Feed Is the Main Source of Climate Emissions in Nordic Aquaculture; Norway Accounts for 90% of Regional Production

A research report published by the Nordic Council of Ministers provides a systematic review of the climate footprint of the Nordic fisheries and aquaculture industries. The report was covered by Norwegian seafood media iLaks on 13 November 2026. Five specialist institutions took part in the study, including Nofima, the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research. The report's conclusions show that the climate footprint of the Nordic seafood sector varies widely between countries, species, fishing gear and production methods.

Nofima noted in a press release that, from a life-cycle perspective, feed production and feed formulation are consistently the most important source of emissions. Direct energy use varies depending on technology and the electricity mix, and may be particularly significant in land-based recirculating aquaculture facilities.

In the processing stage, the emissions footprint depends on the electricity mix, the cooling and freezing methods used, whether processing takes place on board vessels or on land, and whether processes such as drying in fishmeal production use fossil fuels. Transport also accounts for a share, and per tonne, sea freight is generally less emissions-intensive than air freight.

The report shows significant differences between salmon-producing countries. Denmark's farming emissions fell by 29%, or 63,000 tonnes, in the period up to 2023. According to Nofima, Denmark achieved this reduction through improved feed utilisation and cleaner electricity. In Norway, renewable electricity provides scope to reduce emissions in the processing stage, but emissions from feed, offshore operations and the fleet still require targeted measures. Feed is listed as the most important source of emissions in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and especially so in the Faroe Islands, where fisheries, processing and salmon farming are closely interlinked. In Greenland, emissions from processing depend to a large extent on whether facilities have access to hydropower or must use fossil fuels. More centralised processing can reduce emissions, but may come at the cost of coastal jobs.

The report concludes that developments in Norway have a decisive influence on total greenhouse gas emissions from Nordic aquaculture, because Norway accounts for about 90% of aquaculture production in the Nordic region. The report's authors propose the following measures, which they say could nearly halve total emissions from Norwegian production:

Replacing currently purchased soy with fish processing by-products, with a potential emissions reduction of 18%.

Increasing the utilisation of by-products after export, with a potential reduction of 11%.

Electrifying live fish transport vessels, which could contribute 6%.

Reducing the economic feed conversion ratio from 1.3 kg of feed per fish to 1.2 kg, for example by improving survival rates, with a potential reduction of 5%.

Switching road transport to European markets to sea freight, which the researchers believe could potentially reduce emissions by 4%.

Nofima CEO Bente Torstensen said the report does not single out any one seafood product as a universal climate problem, but rather shows that emissions may be high in fuel-intensive fisheries, energy-intensive processing, and farming where feed production or electricity consumption generates substantial emissions. She said the most important finding is that the climate footprint depends on how seafood is caught, produced, processed and transported, and that measures must therefore target the most emissions-intensive parts of the value chain.

Nofima also noted that, per kilogram of edible food, the climate footprint of Nordic seafood is lower than that of terrestrial animal products, especially ruminant meat.