Old fish farming nets repurposed to protect frontline infrastructure in Ukraine.
Old salmon farming nets from Norway are being repurposed into camouflage nets for use in Ukraine, according to a report by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
Although Norwegian regulations require used aquaculture nets to be recycled domestically, some companies are sending discarded gear to Ukraine, where it is converted into protective coverings for trenches, tanks and infrastructure.
NRK reports that 45 tonnes of worn-out nets and seines are being shipped from Nordland in three separate truckloads, each carrying 15 tonnes. The donations are coordinated through the Norwegian Volunteer Aid (NoVA), a nonprofit organisation established in response to the 2022 Russian invasion.
“When the nets arrive in Ukraine, they are cut into manageable sizes and turned into camouflage suits and nets placed over tanks, trenches or other important infrastructure,” Elisabeth Kolflaath Semprini, founder of NoVA, told NRK.
Legal challenges
NRK has chosen not to identify the aquaculture company involved due to legal sensitivities. Norwegian law requires that used nets be recycled within the country. If classified as waste, their export requires formal approval from Norwegian, Ukrainian, and any transit authorities.
Roman Zherebko, head of the Ukrainian Association in Bodø, is working closely with Semprini on the initiative. “Ukraine is under constant attack from drones. Norwegian fishing nets are of very good quality, density and have the right colour, and they work well as a physical barrier,” he said.
Zherebko added that in some cases, “the nets are so strong that they are the only thing that works. Then the drone doesn’t reach the target and explodes in the net.”
The environmental agency Miljødirektoratet confirmed to NRK that both used nets and discarded waste nets fall under strict export control regulations. These include documentation requirements, transit approvals, and evidence that the goods are not waste unless specifically reused.
Kolflaath Semprini acknowledged the legal complexity but stressed the urgency of the situation. “We cannot wait for bureaucratic processes. Then lives are lost. That is the whole point,” she said.
The volunteers behind the initiative are not planning to stop. “This is not simple, but with help from volunteers and the business community, it is actually possible to make it happen,” Zherebko told NRK.