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Facts about Norwegian salmon

For thousands of years Norwegians have lived in
harmony with the forces of nature. It has taught us
how to innovate and preserve, to nurture and harvest.
In this cold climate and crystal clear waters, the
Norwegian salmon grows slowly and develops a
perfect taste and texture.

Norwegian salmon is part of a healthy diet

Salmon is rich in important omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial for brain and hearth health. One normal dinner portion of salmon covers a person’s weekly recommended intake of
omega-3 fatty acids (EFSA recommendation). Salmon is also a great source for vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin A, selenium,
iodine and antioxidants.

 

Norwegian salmon is free from antibiotics

Thanks to effective fish vaccines, use of antibiotics has almost been eradicated in Norwegian salmon farming. Less than 1% of all Norwegian salmon are treated with antibiotics in its life course. Treated fish are subject to strict quarantine period to make sure no antibiotic residuals end up in consumer products. A great win for fish health and the world issue of antibiotic resistance.

Norwegian salmon has a low carbon footprint

Compared to other proteins such as pork and beef, Norwegian salmon has a low carbon footprint. In fact, salmon farming’s CO2 footprint is around ten times lower than beef production. The relatively low carbon footprint is due to the low energy needs of salmon, which means it requires less feed than other farmed animals (production of animal feed is a significant source of C02 emission). The C02 emissions from the farming process of salmon are also relatively low. The edible yield of salmon (edible meat of total animal weight) is also higher than many of other protein options.

Salmon feed

Norwegian salmon feed is made from a mix of marine and vegetable ingredients. The marine raw material derives from fish and fish trimmings from well-regulated fisheries. The vegetable ingredients are derived from plants like soy, sunflowers, rapeseed, corn, beans and wheat. All soy used in Norwegian salmon feed is deforestation free. The feed also contains important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

It takes around two to three years for salmon to be fully grown

Norwegian salmon grows slowly in the cold fjords of Norway.
It takes two to three years for the Norwegian salmon to reach a body weight of 4–5 kg, which is the most common size for Norwegian salmon.

Space in the fish pens 

Regulations make sure that salmon pens don’t get overcrowded. Regulations require that the salmon only fill 2.5% of the total fish pen. Fresh flowing water constitutes the remaining 97.5%, allowing sufficient space for the salmon to move around.

Norwegian salmon is feed efficient

Since salmon is cold blooded, energy is not required to keep
warm. The activity of swimming also requires far less energy
than walking, allowing salmon to outperform most land-farmed protein options in terms of energy use. This allows for more efficient use of feed, which is positive from a resource and climate perspective. Whereas around one kilograms of feed is needed to raise one kilogram of salmon, it takes 3 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of pork and as much as 8 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of beef.

Norwegian salmon is the most popular fish in the world

It’s only just over 50 years since we saw the first salmon farm in Norway. Since then, salmon, or in fact Norwegian salmon, has become the world’s most popular fish and is being sold to over 100 countries. Every day, 22 million meals with Norwegian salmon are served worldwide.