Salmon Regulation Assessment (SaRA)

​SaRA (Studier av Reguleringsregimer i Akvakultur) er et fireårig forskningsprosjekt som vil undersøke konsesjonssystemet for akvakulturproduksjon. Prosjektet er ledet av Tonje Osmundsen ved NTNU Samfunnsforskning (Marit Schei Olsen og Vilde Amundsen), med NOFIMA (Bjørn Hersoug, Roy Robertsen, Kine Karlsen og Ingrid Kvalvik), IRIS (Ragnar Tveterås), Universitet i Stavanger (Sigbjørn Tveterås) og Universitet i Florida (Frank Asche) som forskningspartnere. I SaRA vil forskerne både se på de ordinære konsesjonene for akvakultur som har blitt utlyst i fem runder, samt konsesjoner for særlige formål (stamfisk-, visning- og utviklingstillatelser). Forskerne vil studere tildelingsprosessen, hvilke betingelser som gjaldt for utlysningen og hvorvidt disse fikk følger for etableringene, samt hvordan tildelingene kontrolleres og følges opp i ettertid. Det vil være et spesielt fokus på aktuelle og nylige endringer i forvaltningssystemet slik som grønne konsesjoner, utviklingskonsesjoner, og innføringen av det kommende produksjonsområdesystemet basert på 'trafikk-lys'. Bruken av MTB som et sentralt mål både i konsesjoner og i produksjonsområdesystemet vil bli vurdert og analysert. I tillegg til case studier på de ulike områdene, vil SaRA også gjennomføre økonomiske analyser for å vurdere gevinster og kostnader knyttet til det nåværende systemet. Gjennom prosjektperioden vil SaRA være i tett kontakt med både næring og forvaltning, og prosjektet vil resultere i faglige råd som vil være nyttige for forbedringer av havbruksforvaltningen. SaRA will investigate the licence system, the Maximum Total Biomass (MTB) as a basic premise for this system, and the current regulatory changes. Such a task requires an understanding of regulatory systems as historically developed, layered and shaped by both political and professional priorities. Assessing the current regulatory system for salmon aquaculture is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary task. SaRA will start by investigating the five licence rounds completed to date, including the recent green licences (WP1), and licences given for special purposes limited to broodstock, exhibition and development licences (WP2). We will study the processes by which these licences were awarded, how pertaining conditions were applied when sites were established, and how these operations are controlled and monitored. We will in particular focus on the current and recent regulatory changes, such as the green licences and development licences. (WP3). (WP4). This work will put us in a position to provide policy advice for future improvements of the system. The strength of SaRA relies on active communication and dialogue with stakeholders both within the industry and government throughout the project period (WP5). SaRAs project members have excellent publication records, and are active in engaging with stakeholders both in Norway and abroad. A wide international network, and strong relations to University of Florida in particular, will ensure that SaRA has an international outreach. SaRA (Salmon Regulation Assessment) is a four-year research project that will investigate the licence system for aquaculture production. The project is led by Tonje Osmundsen at NTNU Social Research (Marit Schei Olsen og Vilde Amundsen), with NOFIMA (Bjørn Hersoug, Roy Robertsen, Kine Karlsen and Ingrid Kvalvik), IRIS (Ragnar Tveterås), University of Stavanger (Sigbjørn Tveterås) and University of Florida (Frank Asche) as research partners. In SaRA these researchers will look at both the five regular licence rounds completed to date, and the licences for special purposes such as broodstock, exhibition and development licences. The researchers will study the processes by which these licences were awarded, how pertaining conditions were applied when sites were established, and how these operations are controlled and monitored. There will be a particular focus on the current and recent regulatory changes, such as the green licences and development licences, and the implementation of the production area system based on 'traffic-lights'. The functioning of the license system and the use of MTB as a central measurement will be analytically assessed. In addition to case studies, SaRA will conduct economic analysis on an aggregate level to investigate the strength and costs of the current system. This work will allow for policy advice for future improvements of the system. SaRA will be actively engaging with stakeholders both within the industry and government throughout the project period.