Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and the Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss is launching a new roadmap that brings together the work that contributes to seafood playing an even more prominent role in sustainability, food systems and food security
‘The seafood industry’s most important task is to produce food, and I want the entire food system to understand how each individual actor affects seafood’s availability, food safety, healthiness, quality, price, reputation and consumer choice. With this roadmap, we highlight the role of seafood in sustainable food systems and show how we work to safeguard both the ocean, resources and food security,’ the Minister said, commenting that for the first time, Norway has a comprehensive overview of the work being done to ensure that the aquatic food system contributes to food security.
‘We must make seafood the easy and attractive choice in line with dietary guidelines, for better health, nutrition and climate. We need a good overview to produce enough, healthy and safe seafood, reduce environmental impact, take care of nature, ensure animal welfare and secure jobs and activity along the coast,’ Marianne Sivertsen Næss said.
With some of the world’s richest oceans, strong fisheries and an extensive aquaculture industry with production and logistics along its entire coast, in an era of geopolitical unrest, climate change and increasing attention to security of supply, the importance of Norwegian food resources is seen as increasingly clear.
‘Seafood is an important part of Norway’s food security. We have a unique opportunity to harvest and produce food from the sea along the entire coast. The roadmap has important links to the emergency preparedness system. It provides a comprehensive overview of the systems that contribute to food security on a daily basis, and thus enables planning for good emergency preparedness in crises. Then crisis situations do not have to become crises,’ the Minister said.
The roadmap emphasises that sustainable food systems are not just about how food is produced, but also about what actually ends up on the plate. One of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans’ areas of focus is precisely to strengthen the work to promote seafood consumption in line with dietary guidelines, as part of the effort to improve public health, nutrition and food security.
‘The ocean is one of the world’s most important food bowls. Norway has both the knowledge, the resources and the management model needed to show how sustainable food from the ocean can contribute to food security, better public health and value creation,’ Marianne Sivertsen Næss said.
‘We also want to be a driving force internationally for seafood to play a greater role in the diet of the future. We will take that responsibility.’
