Norway is one of the world’s largest seafood exporters, sending out 2.8 million tons of fish in 2024. That equals 38 million meals every single day.
Yet Seafood barely appears in the government’s food preparedness strategies. A new cross-disciplinary research project now aims to change that.
Four institutes join forces.
The project is led by Nofima, in partnership with the Defence Research Establishment (FFI), the Institute of Transport Economics (TØI), and the Institute of Marine Research (HI).
Over the next two years, they will document the role of Seafood in food systems, analyse vulnerabilities, and recommend ways to strengthen Norway’s food preparedness.
“We will look at risks such as feed shortages, trade barriers, lack of energy, and transport problems,” says project leader Magnar Pedersen of Nofima. “This knowledge is crucial not only for policymakers but also for the seafood industry itself.”
A paradox in planning
Despite being a seafood superpower, Norway relies heavily on imports of feed, raw materials, and logistics. That makes the industry vulnerable in times of crisis. “It is a paradox that seafood plays such a small role in Norway’s emergency planning,” says Pedersen.
Bente Torstensen, CEO of Nofima, stresses that the cooperation between four major research environments is unique: “If we understand food systems better, we can identify weaknesses. That is vital for resilience.”
FFI also highlights the importance of collaboration. Chief researcher Gunn Alice Birkemo points out that they have already studied vulnerabilities in Norwegian food systems, but Seafood deserves more attention.
Lessons from crises
The war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic exposed how fragile global supply chains can be. The government’s recent Total Preparedness Report underlined these risks. Yet Seafood has been largely absent from the discussion.
The researchers will now map the seafood industry’s transport systems, supply chains, and resilience under crisis scenarios. The goal is clear: Seafood must be included in Norway’s national food security strategies.
As Pedersen puts it, “Seafood is not just about nutrition and exports. It is a critical part of our preparedness. Strengthening its role will help Norway face future crises.”