Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen announced the new strategy for marine bioprospecting saying that the country has a long tradition of harvesting the sea and has developed a high level of competence in the marine sector and bioprospecting. She informed that the new strategy would facilitate an exploitation of Norway’s marine resources that can provide with new knowledge and new jobs from the treasure chest of the sea.
Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen and State Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry Rikke Lind today presented the government’s national strategy for marine bioprospecting. State Secretary Rikke Lind of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, told that marine bioprospecting is a strategic focus area in which Norway has positive potential for asserting itself in international competition. Lind added that the government’s aim is to unlock the great potential for wealth creation which lies within marine bioprospecting.
It s told that many marine organisms have unique characteristics which can be exploited to create the basis for different products and processes in a number of commercial areas, including medicine, process industry, food, animal feed, biofuels and cosmetics. The government’s goal is that marine bioprospecting should contribute to new and sustainable wealth creation. This goal is to be reached by increasing the focus on research and commercialisation relating to marine bioprospecting. International collaboration will also be a priority.
The strategy is part of the government’s innovation policy for an innovative and sustainable Norway, the government’s research policy and the government’s strategy for the marine sector, “Sustainable seafood – alpha and omega”.
