THE Norwegian fisheries minister Helga Pedersen has granted permission for Pan Fish to own up to 25 percent of the total Norwegian national licensed biomass for farmed salmon and trout. The condition is that Pan Fish increases its processing volumes in Coastal Norwegian areas.

Yesterday the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs gave Pan Fish written permission to own up to 25 percent of the national licensed biomass. The upper limit for ownership is 25 percent.

This permission is on condition that Pan Fish, among other things, makes sure that the company’s processing volumes in coastal areas in Norway will be developed by 10 percent annually and will increase investment in R&D activities by 5 percent annually.

In order to oversee that the company honours these conditions, it has to report on the development with regards to the conditions made.

After Pan Fish in March agreed to buy all shares in Marine Harvest NV and later acquired a majority stake in peer Fjord Seafood ASA, its total holding of fish farming licences equalled 23.73 pct.

Meanwhile, Scottish opposition politicians have called for a public inquiry into the Pan Fish takeover. The call was reportedly made by the Scottish National Party after Deputy Minister for the Environment and Rural Development Rhona Brankin said the new company will control somewhere in the range of 40-50% of salmon production in Scotland. Scottish ministers are due to meet Pan Fish representatives this month to discuss their future plans for Scottish operations in light of the proposed merger.

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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