The Norwegian Food Safety Authority is drafting new animal welfare regulations for the aquaculture sector, covering facilities, transport, slaughterhouses, and associated businesses. The authority stated that the project aims to consolidate and update current provisions into a single regulatory framework that is expected to apply from January 2027.
Existing rules regarding animal welfare in aquaculture are currently distributed across various individual provisions. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said it is working to compile these rules while incorporating recent scientific knowledge.
According to the authority, the regulatory work is intended to "reduce mortality and contribute to better animal welfare for aquaculture animals".
The authority added that it will collaborate with professional communities and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries between February and June to prepare the formal proposals.
Following this period, an open hearing is expected to take place from June to September. The feedback from this consultation will be processed between September and December before the proposal is finalised and adopted.
To ensure the regulations are practical, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority said it will seek input from industry representatives, knowledge institutions, and animal welfare organisations.
The new rules are expected to function alongside existing national regulations and European economic area requirements, the authority stated. The entry into force for the new framework is planned for January 2027.
