© Helgeland Miljøfisk
The company announced that the regulator is reversing its previous decision to reject the plans and it now only requires just one more permit, from the State Administrator of Nordland, before Nordland County Municipality can green light the project.
"It has been a long process, over three years. I am relieved and happy that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has accepted our complaint and given us permission," said Helgeland Miljøfisk chief executive, Sten Roald Lorentzen, in a press release.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has previously rejected the plans for the farm on several occasions, most recently in January, because the company did not plan to clean the intake water, had not planned to cover the tanks, and had not established good enough plans related to internal control and biosecurity.
"We have worked intensely to find good enough solutions, and we therefore expected a yes. It is incredibly good to get it in black and white," said Lorentzen.
In its decision notice, the authority said it considers that the measures described in the company's submission mean that the risk of infection to, within, and from the facility will now be acceptable.
Lorentzen hopes to start construction of the farm before the end of the year.
