How will fish farming be in Seyðisfjörður?

Fiskeldi Austfjörður has worked systematically since 2012 to develop salmon farming in the Austfjörður and has now applied for a work and operating license in Seyðisfjörður. The pens will not be visible from the town in the proposed layout.

Here you can find answers to the main questions about plans for fire in the fjord.

Who is behind the project?

Fiskeldi Austfjörður hf. began operations in 2012 and has since worked systematically to develop salmon farming in the Austfjörður. After the merger of Fiskeldi Austfjarði and Laxa fiskeldi ehf. at the beginning of 2022, the combined company now operates under the banner of Ice Fish Farm, which is listed on the Norwegian stock exchange. The company already farms salmon in Fáskrúðsfjörður, Berufírði and Reyðarfjörður and has a lot of knowledge and experience in the field of fish farming.

Fish farming in Austfjörður already operates in three fjords; Berufjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður and Reyðarfjörður. The company has an operating and work permit in the relevant fjords and is authorized to grow 9,800 tons of salmon in Berufjörður, 11,000 tons in Fáskrúðsfjörður and 16,000 tons in Reyðarfjörður. The company also has a license for 7,000 tons of fish on barren fish in Stöðvarfjörður. The company’s largest shareholders are Måsøval Eiendom AS, Skinney – Þinganes hf and Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja hf. The total number of shareholders is in the hundreds.

What are the advantages of Seyðisfjörður?

The conditions in Seyðisfjörður are very suitable for fish farming, as the fjord is long, deep and the sea is rapidly replenished. In addition, Seyðisfjörður is located outside the protected areas for wild salmon populations and is therefore one of the fjords in Austfjörður where salmon farming is permitted.

Fiskeldi Austfjörður began the application process in Seyðisfjörður in 2014, and since then a lot of preparatory work has taken place. The case has gone through a thorough environmental assessment at the Planning Agency and is now awaiting processing at the Food and Environment Agency.

Fiskeldi Austfjörður is not the first company to consider fishing in Seyðisfjörður, but similar ideas were introduced by Austlax about two decades ago.

The managing director of Austlax describes the advantages of Seyðisfjörður well in a letter to the Planning Agency in January 2002: “As you know, Seyðisfjörður is a long and deep fjord with very good sea regeneration, perhaps one of the best in the country. Farming was practiced here from 1986 to 1997 without significant problems in terms of the farming aspect”.

Where will the fire be located in Seyðisfjörður?

There will be three breeding areas in Seyðisfjörður, all of which are suitable for fish farming in terms of location, location and currents. The areas are adjacent to Sörlastaðavík, Selstaðavík and Skálanesbót. The location of the farms was changed during the environmental assessment process, but special emphasis was placed on the fact that the farms were outside the sacred area of the Farice strand, that the impact on visibility was as small as possible, and that the location of the farms had the least impact on navigation through the fjord.

During the environmental assessment process, the areas of the fjord that were considered as farming areas were discussed. The final decision was based, among other things, on comments made about the view of the fjord from urban areas. Due to comments regarding the visibility of the farm at Háubakki from urban areas, that location was abandoned, but the areas at Sörlastaðavík, Selstaðavík and Skálanesbót remained. The areas are all suitable for fish farming, and the farms will be located outside the sanctification area of the submarine cable and shipping lanes.

How big are the pens?

We use the most powerful fire pits and equipment available. The fire docks are made to withstand waves up to 9 meters high and ice and withstand ocean waves well. The farmed fish will be accommodated, but it is assumed that the density will be a maximum of 13 kg per cubic meter. All equipment used for cooking salmon must meet the standards of NS 9415, both in terms of design and installation. In this way, it is guaranteed that the equipment is suitable for the situation at all times and that the installation and finishing of the equipment is correct.

Each pen is 50 m in diameter and 160 m in circumference. The pens will be attached together in clusters consisting of 10 – 12 pens in each area. One to two areas will be in use at any given time while the third area is rested.

Sjást kvíarnar frá landi?

Can the pens be seen from land?

Hver er framtíð fiskeldis á heimsvísu?

Salmon farming is the fastest growing food production system in the world and consumption of salmon has tripled globally since 1980. According to the World Wildlife Fund, about 85% of the world’s wild fish stocks are fully exploited or overfished. Aquaculture therefore plays a key role in protecting wild beneficial stocks and ensuring the world’s population – which will reach 9 billion in 2050 – access to a good source of protein. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has announced that world food production must have increased by 70% by 2050 from what it was in 2009.

Fish farming is also an extremely promising option for reducing the environmental impact of food production, as it takes about five times more food to grow beef than salmon. In this way, we need less raw materials to make more food.

Hvaða lög og reglur gilda um fiskeldi?

The Aquaculture Act forms the legal framework for the industry. The Minister of Food is in charge of the issue according to the above laws, but the implementation of the administration is otherwise in the hands of the Food Agency, which supervises that the provisions of the law are enforced. Aquaculture is also covered by the Act on Hygiene and Pollution Prevention, which is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate. The implementation of the administration in terms of that legislation is in the hands of the Environment Agency.

Other laws and regulations that cover fish farming include Regulation no. 540/2020 on aquaculture, regulation no. 550/2018 on emissions from business operations and pollution control, law no. 60/2006 on protection against fish diseases, law no. 66/1998 on veterinarians and animal health services, Act no. 15/1994 on animal protection, Act no. 25/1993 on animal diseases and protection against them, regulation no. 1254/2008 on health requirements for farm animals and their products and on the prevention and control of certain diseases in farm animals, regulation no. 665/2001 on response to infectious diseases and regulation no. 403/1986 on prevention of fish diseases and health control of fish farms.

What is the scope of the activity?

Our plans allow for up to 10,000 tons of salmon in sea pens in Seyðisfjörður.

How many jobs are created

The activity creates 15 to 18 year-round jobs if it is assumed that two breeding areas are in use at any time.

Does salmon farming have a major environmental impact in Seyðisfjörður?

It is very important to us that the fire is done in harmony with nature and the environment and that the environmental impact is kept to a minimum. The environmental impact of sea pen farming is primarily due to the feeding and maintenance of farmed fish, which leads to stress on the bottom of the sea pens. The effects are considered to be local and reversible. During the breeding season, environmental monitoring is carried out, which gives a good picture of the condition of the breeding area and the local environment.

What is the bearing capacity of Seyðisfjörður?

The Norwegian Maritime Research Institute carries out a so-called carrying capacity assessment to assess the carrying capacity of a fjord or sea area due to fish farming. The carrying capacity indicates the ability of a fjord or sea area to receive an increased organic load without it having an unwanted effect on the living environment and without the quality of the water body declining. Seyðisfjörður’s estimated load capacity is 10,000 tons. This assessment must be reviewed regularly and it is always ensured that farming permits according to work and operating licenses are limited to the carrying capacity of the fjord.

Is the fire affecting nearby salmon rivers?

The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research carries out a special risk assessment of how much fertile salmon can be reared in a given area before the risk of genetic mixing of farmed salmon with wild salmon is considered unacceptable. According to the risk assessment, 6,500 tons of fertile salmon and 3,500 tons of sterile salmon can be farmed in Seyðisfjörður.

This assessment is revised regularly based on the latest data and experience gained from salmon farming. Licenses issued for fish farming always comply with the risk assessment, and activities in Seyðisfjörður will always be within the limits set by the genetic mixing risk assessment.

What is the impact on the Farice submarine cable?

The sanctum sanctorum of Farice extends 463 meters from the rope to both sides. Breeding stations in the fjord will be in an area that is outside the sanctification area of the string and within the assigned breeding area. The planned activities in the fjord will therefore not affect the cable and equipment will lie outside its sanctification area.

What are the potential downsides?

During the normal breeding season, which is 14-23 months, losses can be around 10-15%. However, the company aims for attrition to be below 5% in the coming years.

How is environmental impact monitored?

At the same time as we strive for the best in limiting environmental impact, it is extremely important that all monitoring is done correctly.

Along with the fire, environmental monitoring will be carried out according to the ISO 1287 standard and the fjord’s environment will be monitored in accordance with the monitoring plan approved by the Environment Agency. In this way, we regularly assess the impact of the fire on the environment, and the sampling parties send the results of the monitoring to the Environment Agency.

Is the work on the fire the same all year round?

All farming jobs at the company are year-round jobs. We assume that 15-18 employees will work on the fire in Seyðisfjörður, and the staff will consist of general fire workers, station managers and assistant station managers. There are countless job opportunities that include could be created in the office, in the company’s service department and as a result of secondary work.

How is the activity monitored?

The Swedish Food Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency supervise the activities of aquaculture companies. The Food Agency has, among other things, monitoring of equipment and animal welfare, while the Environment Agency monitors possible pollution from the activity. Inspectors on behalf of the institutions visit the companies regularly and inspect the operations, facilities, quality systems and records.

In addition to monitoring the farms, the institutions regularly collect information about the companies’ activities, e.g. in terms of production, feed use and environmental monitoring. The results of the institutions’ inspections as well as other data submissions by the companies are available on the websites of the Swedish Food Agency and the Swedish Environmental Agency.

Where is the fish produced?

We transport the fish alive by wellboat to the salmon processing plant Búlandstind in Djúpavogur, where it is processed. From there it is transported to the market by ship or by air.

What is the economic footprint of aquaculture?

Companies in the field of sea pig farming pay income tax, resource tax and catch tax, in addition to the companies paying annually to the sea pig farming environmental fund.

When is it scheduled to start operations?

It is expected that a work and operating permit for the activity will be issued in 2023 or the first half of 2024. If the plans go according to plan, activities can begin in the spring of 2024.

What is Fiskeldis Austfjörður's environmental policy?

Our strategy is to build an environmentally friendly fire in harmony with nature and society. The company has received environmental certifications from AquaGap and Whole Foods Market and is also working on the implementation of ASC certification. The certifications include strong requirements for sustainability in production and traceability and wholesomeness of products. The company places great emphasis on environmentally friendly activities and has implemented procedures and practices aimed at minimizing environmental impact.