Aquaculture (terminated in Statistics Norway), 2006, preliminary figures

Continued increase for salmon

The value of salmon sold in 2006 was NOK 15.4 billion. This is an increase of 26 per cent compared with 2005, which also was a record-breaking year. The average price increased from NOK 20.77 in 2005 to NOK 24.54 in 2006. A good 626 000 tonnes of salmon were sold in total. This is also the largest quantity ever recorded and an increase of 7 per cent from 2005.

In 2006, sales of trout increased for the first time in four years. A total of 63 000 tonnes were sold, up 6.5 per cent from 2005. The value of trout sold in 2006 came close to NOK 1.6 billion, the highest ever, and up 25 per cent from 2005. The average price increased from NOK 21.34 in 2005 to NOK 25.09 in 2006.

Employment up

The employment in fish farming of salmon and trout has fallen gradually since 2001. The trend was reversed in 2006, however, as employed persons increased by 11.6 per cent to 3 400 from 2005. The total labour input was 4.8 million man-hours, up 11.8 per cent compared to 2005. Only 13 per cent of the employees were women, accounting for nearly 9 per cent of all labour input.

More fish escaping

The number of salmon reported as lost/wastage amounted to almost 32 million in 2006, up 27 per cent from the previous year. About 88 per cent of these fish were counted and destroyed, while the rest was lost because of escaping, predators, theft etc.

In 2006, a number of 932 000 farmed salmon and trout were reported escaped. This is 29 per cent higher than in 2005, and the highest ever reported. A number of 290 000 farmed cod were also reported escaped.

Livestock increasing

At the end of 2006 the stock of live salmon in fish farms was 465 000 tonnes, as compared with 393 000 tonnes at the end of 2005. There were 46 000 tonnes of live trout in the nets in 2006, an increase of 30 per cent from 2005.

Increase for cod

Farmed cod is the third most important species measured by quantity. 11 087 tonnes of farmed cod were sold in 2006, up 50 per cent from the previous year. Cod from hatcheries accounted for 94 per cent of the sales. Other fish species sold as farmed fish in 2006 were halibut, char, turbot, mackerel, saithe, eel and catfish.

Tables:

• Table 1 Fish farming. Sales of salmon and trout. Quantity and first-hand value. 2006
• Table 2 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Number of workers and labour input, by type of license. 2006
• Table 3 Fish farming. Salmon. Stock of fish for food during the period 1. january 2006 to 31. december 2006. 1000 pieces
• Table 4 Fish farming. Salmon and trout. Stock of fish for food per 31. december 2006, by generation