Policy – July 14, 2026
Traffic light system: ministry refuses summer reprieve for consultation
Norway's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries will maintain the 31 July deadline for consultation on proposed aquaculture capacity adjustments, despite calls to extend the process because of the summer holiday period.
The consultation covers regulations governing the 2026 allocation of new production capacity — and any mandatory production cuts — for licences farming Atlantic salmon, trout and rainbow trout under Norway's traffic light system.
The ministry said delaying the deadline by one month would postpone the allocation round and any resulting capacity reductions.
"An extension of the consultation deadline by one month would delay the implementation of the allocation round for new capacity and, consequently, any potential reductions," the ministry said in a press release issued on Monday.
"For environmental reasons, we believe any reduction must be implemented before smolt migration begins in early March. A later consultation deadline could mean smolt migration takes place before the reduction has been effected."
The ministry stressed that the consultation concerns the structure of the allocation round rather than the traffic light classifications themselves, which determine whether production areas can expand, remain unchanged or face production cuts based on their environmental impact.
"The consultation concerns the design of the allocation round, not the colouring of the traffic light system. The issues under consultation are therefore well known from previous allocation rounds," it said.
While acknowledging industry concerns about the timing, the ministry said the consultation timetable would remain unchanged.
"The ministry understands the inconvenience of conducting the consultation during the summer holiday period. However, to ensure the necessary progress in allocating new capacity and implementing any reductions, the consultation deadline of 31 July will be maintained."
Norway's traffic light system reviews production capacity every two years based on the estimated impact of sea lice from salmon farms on wild salmon populations. Production areas classified as green are eligible for growth, while red areas face mandatory production cuts.
