Food, fisheries and agriculture

The Government’s food policy aims to ensure that consumers, as a result of healthy food production, can buy safe and wholesome food of the desired quality. The policy relating to fisheries and the coast aims to contribute to sustainable and environmentally-friendly value creation for the whole of society, while at the same time contributing to a fair distribution of the country’s resources. The Government’s goal is to ensure the continued existence of an active agricultural sector throughout the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food has chief responsibility for food policy and agricultural policy. The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs has chief responsibility for fisheries and the aquaculture industry, seafood safety and fish health and welfare.

On this page you will find general information and documents relating to food, fisheries and agriculture. You can explore this topic in more detail by using the menu on the right.

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Proposal to allow up to 40 percent ownership control of salmon farming

[Press release, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 08.05.2013]

The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs proposes to change the rules of ownership control of the aquaculture industry. It is proposed to allow companies to own up to 40 percent of production capacity in the salmon farming industry. At the same time, there will be more stringent requirements for activities in coastal districts.

Winning the war on illegal fishing in the Barents Sea

[Press release, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 17.04.2013]

For the fourth year running, no illegal overfishing of cod and haddock has been detected in the Barents Sea.

Joint concern over Faroese quotas

[Press release, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 27.03.2013]

Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen and EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki has issued a joint statement on the Faroe Islands unilateral quota for herring and mackerel.

Benefit Sharing Fund strengthened by almost NOK 700,000

[News story, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 13.03.2013]

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food, on behalf of Norway, recently contributed NOK 683,000 to a Benefit Sharing Fund that has been created under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). The fund has been created to stimulate the preservation and development of plant genetic resources among individual farmers, especially in developing countries.

Svalbard Global Seed Vault secures future seed

[News story, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 27.02.2013]

This year it is five years since the first boxes of seeds from food crops were carried into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Today, more than 770,000 different seed samples are deposited in the vault for long-term storage.

An important step towards a discard ban

[Press release, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 08.02.2013]

- I am very pleased to see that the European Parliament has chosen to say no to continued discard of fish, says Minister for Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen.

Presents award to Britain's best ”Fish and Chip Shop”

[News story, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 24.01.2013]

Every year the British eat more than 382 million servings of fish and chips, and the dish is among Britain's fast food favourites. Norway supplies the fish to around 20 per cent of the British fish and chips market. Today Kristine Gramsrud, State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, will present the grand prize at the “The National Fish and Chip Awards 2013”.

Political talks with the EU in Tromsø

[News story, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 22.01.2013]

Norway's Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen raised the issue of market access for Norwegian seafood at a meeting with the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki in Tromsø on Monday.

Berlin Minister’s Summit on 19 January 2013

[Speech/article, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, 19.01.2013]

Norway and the EU agree on fishing quotas for 2013

[Press release, Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, 18.01.2013]

Norway and the European Union have today concluded a new fisheries agreement for 2013. The agreement establishes the total allowable catches and quotas for shared stocks and includes an agreement on the exchange of reciprocal fishing possibilities in each other's waters. Norway and the EU have also agreed to step up the efforts to reduce discards.