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The ocean is the solution of tomorrow

The increased population of the future will create an even stronger demand for healthy and sustainable food. Although 70% of the planet is covered by sea, almost all of our food – 95% – is produced on land. No wonder we believe the future lies in the ocean.

Salmon is safe food

Salmon is safe food

In general, fish contains all of the nutritive substances that a person needs for a healthy and varied diet. Norwegian farmed salmon has been evaluated as healthy and safe food. These conclusions have been reached by Norwegian and international health and nutrition advisory groups, based on continual annual analysis. Salmon represents a good source of protein, it contains a number of very important vitamins essential to growth and development, micronutritive substances such as selenium and iodine and sufficient amounts of polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids that have been scientifically proven to have a beneficial effect in regard to resistance against heart and vascular disease in humans. The Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are also believed to be important for brain development in children.

As with all foods, farmed fish may contain small amounts of undesirable compounds. Fish feed is comprised of, among other things, marine raw materials. This raw material can contain small amounts of undesirable foreign materials such as dioxins, PCB and heavy metals. Small residual amounts of these substances can be found in fish. The raw materials for fish feed and the fish are subject to continual government monitoring and test programmes in relation to these substances. The trend is that the amounts of undesirable substances are being reduced every year through stricter raw materials specifications and improvements in purification technologies. The risk of negative effects from environmental toxins as a result of the consumption of farmed salmon is considered to be extremely low.

Salmon is healthy

Salmon is healthy

The values of the undesirable substances found in salmon products are extremely low. The values are well below both Norwegian and international limits for recommended daily consumption. Overall, the positive health benefits of eating oily fish outweigh the negative to such a major degree that the Directorate of Health recommends oily fish for a main meal 2–3 times per week, in addition to consumption of other fish products (cold cuts, etc.). A minimum of 200 g of the recommended fish consumption should be oily fish, and farmed salmon is a good alternative in this respect.

In addition to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority monitoring programme of foreign substances in fish, Norway Royal Salmon carries out corresponding analyses of its own fish.

Antibiotics are very rarely used in Norwegian fish farming, and only in circumstances where this it is found by veterinarians to be absolutely necessary. As a fish farmer, we are obliged to treat fish if they become sick. Farmed salmon rarely suffer from diseases due to highly effective vaccines that contribute to the minimal use of antibiotics in Norway, which has been reduced by 99% since 1987. Only authorised veterinarians are permitted to diagnose diseases and prescribe medicines for fish in Norway. After antibiotics (or other medicines) have been administered, fish are subject to a quarantine period, stipulated by the authorities. Harvesting or export of fish that are subject to quarantine is prohibited.

The annual test programmes carried out by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and its laboratory (NIFES) have never found residual traces of medicine over the prescribed limit values in Norwegian farmed salmon.

Safe fish feed

Safe fish feed

Fish feed for salmon is tailored to the needs of the fish that vary throughout their lifecycle. The raw materials for fish feed are procured according to strict specification in regard to nutritional content and undesirable foreign substances. As a fish farmer, we are constantly aware of the content of fish feed and the origins of the raw materials used to manufacture the feed. The ingredients in fish feed are also regularly analysed by the authorities.

Quality
GlobalGAP
Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)

Customer specifications, national standards, our own guidelines, and laws and regulations, provide a foundation for the fish farmers’ efforts to deliver products that meet all needs and expectations in the markets in which we operate.

Our suppliers’ quality assurance systems are based on the philosophy of continuous improvement of both product and production process.

In Norway Royal Salmon, we have two main standards that we work to. These are GlobalGAP and ASC.


The GlobalGAP standard safeguards environment in relation to production and the employees' work environment. Focus areas are standard food safety based on the principles of risk assessment, environmental protection and good aquaculture procedures that help to minimize production impact on the environment, global criteria for the working environment and employee health, safety and environment. The latter, in addition to the existing local and national social responsibility regulations. Finally it sets the standard criteria for how fish welfare and health shall be ensured.


GlobalGAP certification

GRASP



ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) is an environmental standard negotiated with WWF in the last 10 years. It sets strict standards for how fish are produced and requires documentation of laws and regulations, animal diversity, animal welfare, genetic integrity of wild populations, responsible feed, control of fish diseases, socially responsible production of fish, good relations with neighbours and that our suppliers meet critical and essential criteria in the standard. ASC certified fish are fish that are produced in an extremely responsible and sustainable way according to very strict requirements. Read more about ASC and our certifications here:


ASC localities

ASC certificates

Integrated Pest Management