NCE Aquaculture

NCE Aquaculture focuses on value creation and innovation associated with commercial production of farmed fish and seafood for the global market. The cluster consists of companies involved in the production of fry and edible fish, processing, feed production, technology, health and environment, finance, research and training. These are key actors who by virtue of their competence and resource base will play a decisive role in the further development of Norwegian aquaculture.

Background
Since the 1970s the aquaculture cluster along the coast of Nordland has been involved in the creation of one of Norway’s most important export industries. The Norwegian aquaculture industry provides NOK 19 billion (2006) in export revenue, ensures settlement along the coast, and upholds many important values in society. The cluster has been built up through the development of salmon as a breeding species, and has contributed to the development of companies and competence in breeding, technology and equipment, feed and nutrition, sales and export, R&D and funding. There is a great potential for further development of the breeding of salmon, cod and other species, such as lump-fish, halibut, shellfish and sea urchins.

Aquaculture operators and companies related to aquaculture in Nordland have for many years worked together closely and established an efficient cluster. The companies’ breadth and professional weight ensures unique access to skills. This provides a strong foundation for cooperation and unity in development, marketing, recruitment of competence, and in making an exciting and competitive aquaculture industry visible in the international market.

The NCE Aquaculture partnership is formalised through business agreements between the following companies:

Aker Seafoods ASA
Bodø Innovation Centre (Kunnskapsparken i Bodø AS)
AKVA Group ASA
Lofitorsk AS
Nordlandsbanken
BioMar AS
Nova Sea AS
Codfarmers ASA
Norwegian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (NOFIMA)
Plastsveis AS
Fjord Marin Cod AS
Rapp Marine Group AS
Gildeskål Research Station AS (GIFAS)
Skretting AS
Bodø University College
Mainstream ASA
Salten Aqua AS
Vesterålen Fiskeripark
SINTEF Fisheries and Aquaculture
Helgeland Havbruksstasjon AS
Nordlaks AS
Patogen AS
Norwegian Aquaculture Centre

Initiatives and projects
Activities within NCE Aquaculture are organised around 7 prioritised working areas. The core of this is innovative cooperation in practice, and further development of the relations and cluster dynamic that have been developed. The work is focused on projects and activities across companies and the industry, and which unify and strengthen the cluster as a whole. The following strategies are described with objectives and activities:

1. Innovation strategy
Cooperation on development projects where the outcomes creates positive effects for innovation , enterprise, and for the cluster's further development.

2. Marketing and customer strategy
Focus on expanding global market opportunities for Norwegian seafood, cooperation between operators and strong customer groups for the development of skills and market penetration.

3. Industrialisation strategy
Focus on the entire value chain from spawn and fry production to the end user. Development of skills involving commercial use which can result in greater efficiency, higher end-product quality and improved profitability.

4. Technological strategy
Collaboration with leading technology companies in order to ensure technological development appropriate to the species. Focus on interaction between technology, biology and fish welfare.

5. Environmental strategy
The cluster’s activities must be perceived as sustainable both nationally and internationally and as being in accordance with important international environmental principles, resource management and animal welfare.

6. Skills and internationalisation strategy
NCE Aquaculture must make the cluster and individual actors visible as attractive cooperation partners internationally, and hereby ensure access to national and international competence. Focus on cooperation within development of trainingcourses, and research and development tasks.

7. Cluster strategy
The basis of the cluster and the network experiences must be further developed. This applies to meeting places and network functions and the processing tools, and experiences developed. Efficient cooperation between operators, rapid access to new, relevant knowledge from research environments, as well as sharing of know how between operators.

Strategy and objectives
NCE Aquaculture`s objective is to become a locomotive in the further development of Norwegian aquaculture, and related activities. Further development of existing activities, and development of the breeding of new species are to lay the foundation for the cluster's companies to increase total value creation by NOK 5 billion, and to create 600 new jobs in the region by 2017.

The cluster has competitive advantages in both geographical surroundings and competence, which will enable it to create growth through the commercialisaton of new breeding species One objective is for the venture to develop cod breeding as a new and important activity within the cluster. Through NCE Aquaculture, the cluster is to establish a common and nationally coordinated R&D strategy. This will contribute to the more efficient use of resources, faster problem-solving and shorter development periods before commercialisation.

NCE Aquaculture must further develop and strengthen network functions, meeting places and distribution channels.

The network must be binding, inclusive and based on the wish for common development and sharing of knowledge.

Facts about NCE Aquaculture