July 16, 2024

New manager of Seafood Norway to focus on cutting aquaculture's environmental impact

Norwegian employers' group Seafood Norway has appointed a new manager with a mission to assess and help reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture and seafood in general.

Mats Snåre,who has moved from Cermaq, where he worked for several years, holds an undergraduate biology degree after studying industrial ecology.

His appointment is expected help to counter some criticism that the aquaculture industry does not show enough care about the environment.

Snåre will look at every activity a company carries out, the raw materials it uses, and how it will impact on the environment. These are done through a life course analysis or life cycle assessment. Snåre said he plans to take this concept even further.

"The demand for sustainability has been strong within the seafood sector for a long time and will increase in the future," he added.

Seafood Norway chief executive officer Geir Ove Ystmark said there was considerable demand within the organisation for such a key appointment.

"The demand for sustainability is strong in the markets and will increase in the future," Ystmark said. "Consumers and retailers want to know more about the footprint."

- Fish Farmer Magazine