21 fish farm companies sue the Norwegian state

Norway's coastline is divided into 13 fish farming "production areas", several of which - particularly in the Western Norway region - have in the past few years received a red light under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries' salmonid farming traffic light system. 

The system is designed to protect migrating wild smolts from salmon lice that in theory emante from fish farms, and relies the assessment of expert scientists.

If an area receives a red light in the biennial assessment, fish farmers in the area must reduce production by 6%.

A total of 21 fish farming companies in western Norway, including heavyweights Mowi and Lerøy, have now joined forces in a class action lawsuit against the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, writes Bergensavisen.

Repeal and compensation

The companies demand that the red lights introduced in 2022 and 2024 be repealed. In addition, they believe that the ministry must be held financially responsible for the losses they have suffered as a result of the decisions.

"The aquaculture companies in Western Norway are demanding that the red lights be removed so that they can resume normal production. They have shown over several years that they have very good control over the lice situation," lawyer Trond Hatland tells the newspaper.

This is not the first time the industry has sued the state over the traffic light system. In 2020, many of the same companies sued in a similar case which the state won in both the district court and the court of appeal.

The new lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in Hordaland District Court next autumn. Below you can see the list of the farmers suing the state.