Licensing Toolkit - Norway

Avg. duration: highly variable (6 months to 2 years)Validity: no limitLegal cost: NOK 24,000, plus depositAuthority in charge: Local municipality

• Understand the current land use plan of the envisioned site of your seaweed farm.
• Define the project including location, target size, type of equipment and techniques to be used and create a conceptual farm sketch.
• Assess the farm’s expected impacts on the environment, natural resources, and social impact.

• If the land use plan does not designate the current area of your envisioned seaweed farm as an aquaculture area, you will need to apply for a dispensation of the land-use plan. To do so, contact your local municipality.
• Consider using the Directorate of Fisheries‘ interactive map, which provides an overview of marine activities in Norway to find an appropriate farm location.

• Pre-engagement with local stakeholders is not mandatory, but highly encouraged since a local objection can block your licence application.

• Plan to reach out to local interest groups, like fish farmers, fishers, boating- and homeowners associations.
• Engage your local authorities early on to get clarity on the parties that will be involved in the review of your licence application.

• Fill in the application form and send the completed form to the County municipality (“Fylkeskommune”). Contact details of the respective county municipality can be found online.
• Pay the application fee (NOK 24,000). The local municipality will not process the application before the fee has been paid.
• The extend of the Environmental Impact Assessment required is considered based on each individual case since no specific guidelines have been established.

• The application must be in line with the requirements imposed by local authorities. Since the application form is not seaweed specific, you will need to leave out sections that do not apply to seaweed farmers, and instead describe your appropriate, seaweed specific answers to the questions in the application’s blank space.
• Beas specific as possible when describing your farming operation in terms of production to avoid any application delays due to the need for clarifications about your farming operation.
• The application must have permission under the Act on Harbors and Waters, which you will obtain through the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The reason for this is to ensure that your seaweed farm does not conflict with boat traffic.
• The application might not require a permit under the Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) or an emissions permit from the Governor (Statsforvalteren), however the application will be sent to respective administrations by the County Municipality anyways.

• The local municipality will validate the completeness of your aquaculture application and that it is in accordance with the land use plan.

• If any information is missing, the local municipality will contact you. Be sure to respond promptly.

• After initial validation, the local municipality publishes the application in “Norsk Lysingsblad” and in two local newspapers, complying with the municipality’s instructions.
• The local municipality will receive the comments from the public consultation and forward them to relevant authorities or resolve them themselves.
• Once potential issues are resolved, and your farm application is in line with the land plan, the county municipality will approve the application and forward it to the county municipality.

• In some cases, the local municipality will contact you to resolve any questions. Be sure to answer quickly.

• The county municipality is in charge of coordinating and disseminate the application to relevant sector authorities including the Regional Fisheries Office (to assess potential fisheries and aquaculture conflicts), Food Safety Authority, Coastal Administration (to check possible issues with shipping lanes) and County Governor (to both assess recreational, cultural and environmental issues arising from the farm and make an emission statement for the farm). These authorities will need to clear the application.

• In case any questions arise from the respective governmental agencies, they will be forwarded to the county municipality, who will then contact you in case they cannot answer the question themselves. Ensure to answer quickly.

• In some cases, the local municipality might approach you with comments from the sector authorities or public consultation.

• Ensure that you are addressing potential issues with great diligence since every further need for clarification will increase the time needed for the granting of your licence.

• The county municipality conducts an overall assessment of whether a permit under the Aquaculture Act will be granted.

• If positive a positive decision on your licence application is made, the licence will be granted.

• Even though the local/county municipalities process and decide the application, the Ministry of Trade and Industry is the appeal body. In case of a negative decision on your licence application, you have 3 weeks to make an appeal to the Ministry of Trade and Industry. If the appeal is rejected by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, there are no other ways to appeal the local municipality decision.

• Pay the hectare dependent deposit of 3,000 Kroner per hectare (max. 200,000 Kroner) to be allowed to install your seaweed farm.

• In case of bankruptcy, the government will use your deposit to clean up the marine structures of the farm.

• Install your farm based on the parameters of your granted licence.

• Your licence will be revoked if you do not farm at least 1/3 of your allotted concession within two years.
• While your licence does not expire, it can be revoked if you are not farming within the licence parameters, including the sound establishment, running and potential elimination of farming activities. Passivity at any time after the 2 years (farming less than 1/3 of the licence area) is also grounds to revoke your licence.

Contact us to be featured as a fellow farmer

Are you a Norwegian seaweed farmer, or in the last strives of establishing your seaweed farm? If so, we would be interested in featuring you here as an inspiring example for future seaweed farmers. If you would like to be showcased, please contact us at: contacteu4algae [dot] eu (contact[at]eu4algae[dot]eu)