GAME-CHANGING INNOVATIONS IN NORWEGIAN AQUACULTURE

Game-changing Innovations in Norwegian Aquaculture

AI drones and cutting-edge defrosting techniques: powerful tools advancing sustainable supply chains in aquaculture

Written by Martin Skaug, Communications Director at the Norwegian Seafood Council

The world of Norwegian aquaculture has always been defined by innovation. With new technologies emerging from the hundreds of aquaculture companies operating all along our long-stretched coast, revolutionary inventions are taking shape, transforming commercial fishing and farming practices on a global scale.

Author Martin Skaug, Norwegian Seafood Council

As 2025 unfolds, the seafood industry is navigating a range of pressing challenges; from improving fish health and minimising waste to adapting to reduced fishing quotas. Demanding? Absolutely. But as we delve into the many exciting new initiatives on the horizon, I want to share a touch of optimism as we embark on the next chapter of our industry’s story. Addressing these challenges will require at least two things: the steady impact of incremental improvements, which have long been a cornerstone of the industry, and the invigorating spark of cutting-edge technology that builds on this foundation, shaping each solution.

The Unmanned Frontier: Smarter Solutions in Fishing

Consider Aker BioMarine  and their newly created subsidiary Aker QRILL, an innovative Norwegian aquaculture player addressing the inefficiencies and waste in krill fishing with AI-driven drone technology. Having been crowned the winner at the 2024 GIMI (Global Innovation Management Institute) Innovation Awards for The World’s Most Innovative Company in the Private Sector, Aker QRILL’s methods offer a glimpse into the future of sustainable fishing. Traditional krill fishing often involves fuel-demanding manned ships that search vast ocean areas for krill, leading to inefficiencies and environmental impact.

Aker Qrill drone

Aker QRILL’s drones, however, are changing the game. Using satellite imagery to narrow down krill locations, the company deploys a six-metre-long drone equipped with advanced sensors to pinpoint precise krill sites. This “data-first” approach significantly reduces waste, shortens search days, lowers emissions, and saves substantial costs.

“If the unmanned surface vehicle (USV) confirms the presence of krill, we then send fishing boats to the site,” says Frank Grebstad, SVP Vessels Operations at Aker QRILL Company. “This saves time and prevents unnecessary emissions from large fishing boats.”

With innovations like these emerging, I’ve continued to ask myself if there is something unique to Norway’s aquaculture philosophy that makes it such a wellspring of sustainable innovation. I’ve concluded that at the heart of Norwegian aquaculture is a philosophy of collaboration, embedded deeply within the industry’s practices.

Collective Collaboration is Key

Per Helge Devold, head of the Global Aquaculture Tech Hub (GATH) in Ålesund, Norway, emphasises the immense power of collaboration. At GATH, companies of all sizes, both established firms and start-ups, come together regularly to problem-solve and elevate Norway’s global aquaculture profile. By innovating together, these organisations are compounding their success rates, solving individual issues as well as transforming the industry as a whole.

Cultivating the Cold

One company embracing this collaborative approach is Hofseth, a member of GATH, which has teamed up with MMC First Process to develop their own special defrosting unit aimed at making seafood supply chains more sustainable and efficient. Through this, Hofseth, a vertically integrated salmon producer, is tackling the global issue of seafood waste, as large amounts of freshly transported salmon currently expire on shelves. Their Icefresh technology, which has been in development for several years now, uses a unique defrosting method that allows fish to be frozen immediately after it’s caught, then transported by ship to retailers equipped with an Icefresh unit to defrost fish on demand in under an hour. An added benefit of Hofseth’s approach is that transporting the fish by ship, rather than carbon-intensive air freight, significantly reduces its environmental footprint too.

Hofseth defrosting unit

Hofseth’s Icefresh solution offers a practical approach to improving retailer logistics while aligning with growing consumer awareness of sustainability and waste reduction. Retailers can keep fish frozen until needed, offering fresher, nutritionally rich products with extended shelf life and a reduced carbon footprint. As fresh fish becomes more accessible and affordable through this type of technology, consumers worldwide will become empowered to make healthier, sustainable choices. Hofseth is now scaling this technology, so expect to see more retailers across the globe utilising their units to limit waste and better cater to their customers.

What Lice Ahead?

Looking to the future, Norway’s role in global aquaculture is set to expand as the country deepens its commitment to sustainable seafood production through government support, dedicated research funding, and progressive policies. Mind you, there’s still work to be done to gain the upper hand on the issues facing the industry, sea lice in aquaculture being one of them.

But Norway’s culture of collaboration and unyielding innovation is not only pioneering new technologies but also aims to set a global benchmark. As the world grapples with food security and environmental challenges, Norway’s aquaculture sector is ready to respond, offering a model of responsible growth that hopefully can be of inspiration to industries across the globe to follow suit. Because at the end of the day, global issues require global solutions.

Hofseth exemplifies this commitment through various other innovative projects like Egget (“the egg”), a closed-cage fish farming system designed to sustainably advance the seafood sector. Through initial analysis of fish cultivated at the organisation’s test facilities, Hofseth has observed that Egget enables fish to grow at twice the rate of those in open-cage systems, while achieving an impressive 98.8% survival rate. Moreover, it eliminates sea lice and restricts the spread of diseases, setting a new standard for aquaculture.

“We are convinced that closed facilities are the future – not only because they eliminate lice, escapes, and emissions, but also because they offer greater flexibility in location and improved control over biological processes,” said Hofseth CEO Roger Hofseth.

Notably, Hofseth has observed that fish grown in Egget require less oxygen during transportation for processing, indicating they experience greater calm and well-being throughout their lifecycle. This is a crucial consideration: while efficient fish production is vital, there is an ethical responsibility to ensure the highest standards of welfare for the fish. Hofseth aims to perfect this balance through cutting-edge technology.

The Hofseth Egget Project

Marketing Moves being Made

Now that 2025 is underway, it brings with it opportunities for both ground-breaking and incremental advancements. At the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), we are supporting these efforts by elevating Norwegian seafood on the global stage through strategic marketing investments. It may not be solutions for all the challenges ahead, but we are proud to tell the story of constant improvement and efforts being made.  In 2025 alone, we’ve plan to dedicate roughly NOK 410 million (almost £29 million) to promoting Norwegian seafood across 27 countries – and with innovations like Hofseth and Akerbiomarine due to take the industry by storm, we’ll undoubtedly have a busy year ahead!

Images Supplied ©Norwegian Seafood Council