The concept of “doing no significant harm” runs through the EU Horizon Europe project BlueRemediomics, and has been explored in the past in “Town Hall” events in Galway, Barcelona and Aberdeen. The concept was recently embraced with an aquaculture focus at a workshop in Bergen hosted by the Fish Biology and Aquaculture Group (FBA) at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre on October 15th 2024.
The workshop explored views from scholars, professionals and industry regarding the challenges faced by “Norwegian Salmon Aquaculture” in the context of innovation of aquaculture as an environmental service. This was discussed against the backdrop of “research to enable sourcing 50 % of animal protein from farmed fish by 2050 for human consumption”. Scientific steps towards reaching this goal were explored, all in the context of “doing no significant harm”, in a science-to-policy and ethics dialogue with a hybrid group of 46 from local scientists, policymakers, students, industry, funders and not for profit organisations. Questions in relation to what this term could and should mean, and how new approaches to it could become more embedded in science policy making and related decisions, were also explored.
Doing No Significant Harm
Although the “do no significant harm” term has been developed in some contexts, notably through the EU in relation to Taxonomy Regulation and Technical Screening, it remains unclear when it comes to its applications. As the science-policy community and its funders and regulators aim to ensure that there is no significant harm caused, it is timely for the BlueRemediomics project to explore what this term should mean, who should be included in the discussions, and how to best intertwine differing views such as e.g. the scientific voice(s) and other perspectives such as societal and cultural and industry.
Implications for Norwegian Aquaculture
An important base for further discussion was provided as scientific projects and the challenges faced aquaculture were discussed in more depth.
- NORCE presented its work on sustainability and health management with a particular focus on sea lice;
- the Norwegian Veterinary Institute explored impacts on the health of salmon and information reported and shared, such as through BarentsWatch;
- NORCE explored rearing and feeding strategies and fish welfare with focus on life cycle, the importance of earlier experiences of the fish and of holistic approach;
- NORCE shared scientific endeavours to reduce environmental impacts of aquaculture, enhance fish welfare and feed sustainability and opportunities for new production systems, new technologies, green energy, and waste value streams.
- Ovum introduced the Egget semi-closed system and shared results about its impact on reduction of lice and increased survival, with healthier fish being the most important indicator of its success.
- Lerøy shared its work towards an effective and sustainable value chain for seafood and supplies to Norway and more globally.
Workshop participants agreed that the aquaculture industry in Norway faces challenges in sustainability, welfare, and growth, hampered by restrictive policies and limited transparency. Points raised in the discussion round included the need for considering circularity, waste management and fish health and welfare standards, including producers preparing the fish for what is to come in the future (e.g. variable in conditions in the sea as opposed to extremely controlled conditions early in life). Novel feed ingredients were discussed as being necessary to ensure the growth of the aquaculture industry with more research needed into their effect on fish health and welfare. Improving consumer and community awareness around ethical practices was discussed as essential, as public pressure can drive industry improvements and higher-quality standards.
Norway’s aquaculture model illustrates the benefits of transparent practices and data-driven legislation, yet issues like fluctuating production rates, sustainable feed sourcing, and lack of standardized industry practices persist. Emphasizing quality over production scale, branding by producer rather than country, and improving educational content could foster consumer support and a more ethical, resilient industry model.
