Minister Receives Nofima's Advice

"The seafood industry needs to get hold of the best brains and strengthen efforts with applied research. That was among the suggestions to the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Lisbeth Berg-Hansen, during a consultative meeting at Nofima.

More than 60 people from a host of companies, institutions and organisations in the Troms region gathered to hear the Ministers views about the forthcoming White Paper about the seafood nation Norway.

Representatives from the University of Troms, the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, the Norwegian Seafood Federation, Troms County Council, Norwegian Fishermen's Association and Innovation Norway, among others, then had an opportunity to offer their suggestions.

The Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Lisbeth Berg-Hansen, commented during her introduction: I am proud of what the Norwegian seafood industry achieves, but Im not satisfied. We need to exploit the potential in the sea even better.

The government White Paper will contribute to further developing the seafood industrys role of creating value along the coast. It will be presented at the end of next year or, in early 2013.

Applied research demands long-term investment to develop competence and a good plan for funding plan. I hope the Minister will include this in the White Paper on seafood, said the CEO of the food research institute Nofima, yvind Fylling-Jensen.

The meeting in Troms was the first of a series of consultative meetings with marine environments throughout the country.

Over the next year the Minister will carve out visions, goals and measures to make sure Norway maintains its position as one of the worlds leading seafood nations.