Aquaculture (terminated in Statistics Norway), 2004, preliminary figures

Sales increasing

The value of salmon sold in 2004 came to NOK 9.9 billion. This is an increase of 20.1 per cent compared with 2003, but lower than in 2000, when sales peaked at NOK 11 billion. The average price increased from NOK 16.21 per kilo in 2003 to NOK 17.52 per kilo in 2004. Almost 566 000 tonnes of salmon were sold in total. This is the largest quantity ever recorded and an increase of 11.1 per cent from 2003.

Sales of trout went down for the second consecutive year. A total of 63 000 tonnes were sold, down 8.3 per cent from 2003. However, the value of trout sold came to slightly below NOK 1.3 billion, up 3.1 per cent from 2003. The average price increased from NOK 17.84 per kilo in 2003 to NOK 20.06 per kilo in 2004.

Employment down

Employment in fish farming of salmon and trout has fallen gradually since 2001. In 2004, the number of employees was 3 000, a decline of 18 per cent from 2001. The total labour input was 4.2 million man-hours, down 17.3 per cent compared with 2001. Women account for 12 per cent of the employees and 8 per cent of the labour input.

Loss/wastage in the production of fish for consumption

The number of salmon reported as lost/wastage amounted to 24.8 million in 2004, down 20 per cent from the previous year. About 79 per cent of these fish were counted and destroyed, while the rest was lost due to escape, predators, theft etc.

In 2004, 348 600 farmed salmon and trout were reported escaped, which is a significant drop from 2003.

Biomass

At the end of 2004 the stock of live salmon in fish farms was 356 000 tonnes, compared with 370 000 tonnes at the end of 2003. There were 28 500 tonnes of live trout in 2004, a 14.8 per cent decline from 2003. This is the third consecutive year with lower biomass of trout.

Cod still increasing

Farmed cod is the third most important fish-farm species measured by quantity. 3 168 tonnes of farmed cod were sold in 2004, an increase of 45 per cent from the previous year. For the first time, cod from hatcheries dominated. Other fish species sold as farmed fish in 2004 were halibut, char, turbot, mackerel, saithe, eel and catfish.

Tables:

• Table 1 Fish farming. Sales of salmon and trout. Quantity and first-hand value. 2004.
• Table 2 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Number of workers and labour input, by type of license. 2004
• Table 3 Fish farming. Salmon. Stock of fish for food during the period 1. january 2004 to 31. december 2004. 1 000 pieces
• Table 4 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Stock of fish for food per 31. december 2004, by generation