Norwegian land-based fish farms face scrutiny over environmental failings.
Nearly 90 per cent of land-based aquaculture facilities inspected by Norwegian authorities last year were found to be in breach of environmental regulations, raising questions about oversight in a sector seen as a key plank of the industry’s future.
According to a report published on Tuesday by the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet), 68 of 77 land-based fish farming sites inspected in 2024 had violations ranging from inadequate discharge control to poor internal oversight. A quarter of these breaches were classified as serious.
As interest grows in land-based salmon production — viewed by some as a more sustainable alternative to traditional open-net pens at sea — regulators are now warning that many facilities are failing to meet basic pollution control standards.
“Land-based fish farms are growing in number and size, and their discharges into coastal waters are significant,” said Hilde Singsaas, director general of the Environment Agency. “Our inspections show that too many operators lack proper control over emissions. We expect breaches to be addressed without delay.”
Of the 77 facilities inspected — representing roughly a quarter of the sector — three-quarters were found to have inadequate discharge monitoring, and one in five had violated filtration requirements. Roughly two-thirds lacked sufficient internal environmental controls. In total, the inspections identified 261 infractions.
The inspections, coordinated by the Environment Agency and conducted by ten regional governors (statsforvaltere), were primarily unannounced single-day visits.
While the infractions were widespread, the report noted that half of all breaches were concentrated among just 25 per cent of the facilities inspected, suggesting uneven performance across the sector.
Discharges from land-based farms, which include nutrients and suspended particles, can lead to seabed smothering and eutrophication. Permits under the Pollution Control Act are granted based on industry-reported estimates of how much discharge reduction their systems can achieve.
“High-volume discharge is a serious concern. Effective filtration is a condition for receiving an operating permit,” said Singsaas. “Without that, they would not have been allowed to operate.”
Authorities have previously concentrated their enforcement efforts on sea-based fish farms, but last year’s coordinated inspection marked the first major effort to assess environmental compliance in land-based facilities at scale.
The Environment Agency said it would use the findings to inform its ongoing work on developing standardised environmental requirements for land-based aquaculture, under instruction from Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment.
“We’ve gained valuable insights into an expanding part of the industry,” Singsaas said. “These results point to a clear need for closer regulatory follow-up and better guidance.”