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The opportunity for climate action through climate-smart Marine Spatial Planning
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Strengthening policy action to tackle social acceptability issues in European aquaculture
Full text linkDespite the rapid development of aquaculture worldwide, production has stagnated in Europe and North America, notwithstanding the public policies that support the sector. This stagnation may stem from the insufficient integration of social dimensions into aquaculture governance, often characterized by top-down policies and technology-driven approaches. While environmental, economic and social factors significantly influence the social acceptability of aquaculture, environmental impacts, such as habitat degradation and the spread of disease, have historically dominated regulatory frameworks. Today, low social acceptability appears to be the major obstacle to the sector's growth, highlighting shortcomings in terms of stakeholder engagement, transparency and fairness in the distribution of the benefits generated by the sector. This paper reflects the collective insights from the ICES Working Group on Social and Economic Dimensions of Aquaculture, emphasizing that challenges to social acceptability of aquaculture are widespread but context-dependent and remain insufficiently addressed in public policies related to aquaculture development. This paper recommends broadening governance beyond environmental concerns to include social and economic dimensions from the outset, strengthening public participation in decision-making processes and adopting holistic, socially informed marine spatial planning. In addition, it highlights the importance of recognizing the role of informal governance mechanisms and the production of meaningful social data as essential aspects to foster community acceptance and the sustainable development of aquaculture. Adapting aquaculture policies to local contexts through inclusive and adaptive governance is therefore essential to the sustainable growth of the sector.Strengthening policy action to tackle social acceptability issues in European aquaculturepublishedVersio
Saturated fat and cholesterol in Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar L.) feeds are important for fish performance, fillet quality and colour
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Å handle bærekraftig sjømat: Et dilemma for unge voksne i Norge?
Full text linkHvorfor synker sjømatkonsumet blant de unge, til tross for deres økte bevissthet om bærekraftige matvalg? For å undersøke dette inviterte vi 18 unge voksne til å gjennomføre en handletur i sjømatavdelingen i en virtuell butikk ved bruk av VR (virtual reality). Deltakerne ble bedt om å velge to sjømatprodukter og deretter delta i et kvalitativt intervju om deres perspektiver på ulike aspekter i henhold til bærekraft og sjømat. Analysen av atferds data (eyetracking) viser at deltakerne fokuserte mest på produsentmerke, opprinnelse og produktbilde, og valgte hovedsakelig basert på vaner og smakspreferanser. Intervjudataene viser imidlertid en tendens til å forklare valgene basert på andre faktorer, som for eksempel pris. Atferdsdata viser også at unge voksne ikke fokuserte på matmerking av produktene. Faktisk var det få som viste noe om bærekraftsmerking av sjømat. Videre uttrykte de fleste deltakerne et ønske om mer informasjon om bærekraft, men foretrakk at denne informasjonen kom fra myndighetene fremfor eventuelle salgsaktører.Å handle bærekraftig sjømat: Et dilemma for unge voksne i Norge?publishedVersio
From personal benefits to green motives: consumer segments for targeted sustainability transitions in workplace canteens
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Impact of recyclate quality and functional barrier layers on the performance of LDPE in food packaging
Full text linkLow-density polyethylene (LDPE) is one of the most used polyolefins for food packaging applications. However, there are food safety concerns and challenges to recycle it back to food contact material. The present study compares the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties, contact angle, color, and structural properties (Fourier transfer infrared) between virgin LDPE and two recycled qualities of LDPE, without and with functional barrier layers (ABA structure). In addition, migration analysis and food contact interaction study were also conducted. Thermal-induced degradation resulting from chain scission was observed in the recycled LDPE. However, the thermal behavior of the recycled films was not affected by the quality of the recyclate. On the other hand, the quality of the recyclate had a significant effect on both the mechanical and barrier properties. The tensile strength and oxygen permeability of the films were affected by the type of recyclate. The addition of LDPE as functional barrier layers in the multilayer films increased the tensile strength, while highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) did not have any additional effect on the mechanical properties. The presence of HDPE did not have any effect as a barrier layer on the permeability, irrespective of the recyclate quality. No difference in the contact angle and structure was observed between the virgin and recycled LDPE. The effect of functional barrier layers on the migration of nonvolatile compounds was not conclusive from the chromatographic analysis. The simple odor/flavor evaluation indicated that cheese in contact with the recycled LDPE without functional barrier layers resulted in higher perception of chemical/plastic flavor compared to the virgin, and the odor was apparently lower when adding LDPE as a barrier layer, while HDPE had no additional effect.publishedVersio
Quality Inspection Guidelines for Norwegian wild bluefin tuna
Full text linkThis document serves as a comprehensive industry guideline for quality inspection of Norwegian bluefin tuna on land, with the aim of providing a shared understanding and standardized framework for evaluating and communicating quality. Different parts of bluefin tuna are used to evaluate different quality attributes including appearance, colour, fat content, freshness and the presence of yake (burnt tuna syndrome). To each attribute, a grading scale of 1-5 is employed to allow numerical evaluation in this guideline. The most critical items are colour, fat content and the occurrence of yake, with the remaining attributes serving as supplementary evaluations. The fish should be placed on a well-lit platform to allow visual inspection of whole body. In some circumstances inspection may be done at landing or during packing. It is standard practice to assess all items at once (or within a short timeframe) ensuring that both freshness and quality attributes are considered during the inspection. Visual inspection involves the assessment of fish body for freshness, shape and any damage or defects. The quality evaluation of half-moon sample primarily focuses on the colour and fat content. (刺棒) is a tool used to detect two major quality effects of tuna fish, yake and mure and to assess the colour of the red meat of the fish. Finally, the body temperature of the fish is a highly effective indicator of storage condition, yake, and overall freshness. Scoring criteria for evaluation of each quality attribute is provided. The market price of individual tuna fish is heavily influenced by the supply-demand balance and preferences of potential buyers and respective markets. No matter how highly rated a fish is by quality inspection, it cannot fetch a high price in a market with excessive supply. Nonetheless, it is possible to elevate the position of the Norwegian tuna, through rigorous and proper evaluations, by providing consistently exceptional quality through high standards of handling and processing. To achieve this, collaboration among fishermen, processors, and distributors is crucial. In this regard creating common evaluation framework and language is vital for aligning with market expectations, facilitating B2B communication and fostering continuous growth within the bluefin tuna industry.publishedVersio
Marine aquaculture sites have huge potential as data providers for climate change assessments
Full text linkIn-situ data is essential in understanding climate change in coastal and marine environments, especially in nearshore locations that are challenging for models to simulate and are often lacking in downscaled climate projections. Environmental parameters such as sea temperature and oxygen are often recorded at fish farms, and this information could be useful for observing coastal changes and climate change assessment. For aquaculture, Norway's BarentsWatch portal is one of the most advanced open-data platforms in the sector. The aim of this study was to inspect the weekly sea temperature data collected from salmon lice monitoring within the Fish Health dataset in BarentsWatch and consider if the recorded temperatures could have value for monitoring climate change due to the spatial and temporal coverage of the farm data. Initial inspection of the dataset found many inconsistencies and suspected errors. In total there were 667 sites where suspected errors were removed. Suspected errors amounted to 7797 data points. Following data cleaning there were 1129 sites and 303,792 data points in total, covering much of the Norwegian coastline. The positions offered good insight into the range of conditions, with data from sheltered inner fjords as well as more exposed locations. Analysis of the BarentsWatch temperatures revealed some sites in southern and western Norway that have already experienced temperatures above 20 °C, challenging conditions for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture. The results showed differences between sites within the same production regions due to site-specific characteristics, illustrating the need for more local-scale data that represents the actual conditions the fish experience, rather than a reliance on regional averages. Although the BarentsWatch platform provided some insight into the temperatures experienced at Norwegian salmon farms, the lack of standardised reporting and uncertainties about data collection and aggregated values meant that detailed analysis was not possible at present. The BarentsWatch analysis was complemented by data from two farms that further demonstrated the need for better guidance and standardised data collection and reporting. Standardised data collection and reporting would ensure that data from different farms is directly comparable. When considered in context with other conditions and fish health parameters, more standardised and robust monitoring of water temperatures at farms would aid the identification of potential challenging conditions and allow for more targeted adaptation responses. Improved data collection and reporting in the present day would have huge value in the future by facilitating the creation of long-term datasets spanning multiple decades at hundreds of locations along the Norwegian coastline, offering exceptional insight into coastal climate change.publishedVersio
iFOODnet: Towards a Norway & Japan Innovative Research & Training Network Driving NextGeneration Food System.Final report
Full text linkiFOODnet, coordinated by Nofima, aimed to establish world-class research and education within food science in Norway, focusing on marine and agricultural sectors, through a long-term international partnership with NTNU and two Japanese universities: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. The project centered on four key Cross-disciplinary Innovation Pillars (CIPs) related to bioprospection, innovative food processing, biomaterials, and food waste biorefinery, which provided the foundation for research, student mobility, and industry engagement. Over the course of the project, 93 students participated in annual Training Schools, and 12 students benefited from international mobility. The project also facilitated numerous industry visits, workshops, and symposia, strengthening the research-education-innovation interface. Despite challenges caused by the global pandemic, which led to delays and adjustments to the project plan, iFOODnet resulted in significant academic outputs, including publications, presentations, and successful grant applications. Future efforts will focus on extending partnerships through funded projects, expanding mobility, and enhancing global research impact.iFOODnet: Towards a Norway & Japan Innovative Research & Training Network Driving NextGeneration Food System.Final reportpublishedVersio