License denial may cause closure of fish farm
A fear that fish might jump 100 meters across dry land, has made Norwegian authorities deny the Norwegian-Russian fish farming company Kirkenes Charr a license to set up a butchery. This will probably mean the end for the company and millions of NOK in losses for the Russian and Norwegian investors.
Oddbjørn Jerrijervi at Kirkenes Charr shows one of their award winning fish. (Photo: Chantaie Allick)
Their application to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority on establishing the butchery has been turned down due to the risk of charr escaping from the fish farm and into the fjord. That would mean that the fish would have to make a 100 meter jump over dry land. And even if the charr would manage this incredible jump, there is still little danger for the salmon stock.
- Scientists has not found any examples that farmed Arctic Charr can cause any hazard for wild salmon, says President of the Board of Directors of Kirkenes Charr Ltd Frode Stålsett.
Best seafood
Their product Arctic Charr was in 2009 awarded as producer of the Best Seafood in Norway by the Norwegian Fishery- and Costal Minister.
With a 50 percent Russian ownership in the company, making it one out of few Norwegian companies with Russian ownership, Kirkenes Charr has been considered as a school example on how Russian and Norwegian investors can
develop economic cooperation. Now all investors risk losing their investment of several millions.
- We cannot comprehend that the Norwegian Authorities are making such problems for the unique border crossing cooperation, says Stålsett
Market demands
Due to demands from the market, and the need to obtain the unique quality if the fish, the enterprise has for the last two years applied to build a butchery at the fish farm. The butchery is already on site, in order to be mounted.
The matter is now on the edge of scaling to a bilateral issue. The Russian investor has sent a request to Russian Authorities, asking if they can influence a rapid solution for the Norwegian Authorities. He is also asking if this is a Norwegian answer to last autumns focus on export problems for Norwegian Salmon to Russia, and arrest of a Russian trawler in the Spitsbergen Area.
See earlier published video about Kirkenes Charr:
