Leroy Seafood Group is demanding the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries reverse its rejection of development licenses for the company's "Fjord Farm" concept, claiming it has been wrongly assessed.

The salmon farmer, together with its development partners Egersund Net and Akva Group, applied for five development permits to develop the concept "Fjord Farm."

According to the application, the concept will allow for aquaculture to take place in the fjords, which is not allowed today, while maintaining a healthy environment and good fish health.

Fjord Farm consists of four parts which together constitute production technology:

1) The Second Barrier system, which, according to the applicant, reduces the escape hazard.

2) A sludge collection system.

3) A pre-water shield and integrated water shield, which, according to the applicant, prevents loop lashes.

4) A newly developed operating fleet with an integrated processing plant for separation of sludge and water, and capacity for storage of sludge.

However, the Directorate of Fisheries concluded the concept of the project as a whole does not lead to the development of technology that meets the condition of "significant innovation."

Wrong choice

Leroy believes the Directorate wrongly assessed the project by considering the four different parts of the concept individually as isolated elements. Instead, as stated in the application, the various components form part of a logical composition of sub-components into a comprehensive concept, the company argued.

Leroy believes the Directorate should review the degree of innovation by the sum of the features and effects of the four parts.

"It will be very challenging to technologically develop the various components and, not least, to make them work together and result in a safe and well-functioning system," the company pointed out in the complaint.

Furthermore, Leroy believes the assessment of the innovation of the sludge collection solution is based on the wrong comparison basis.

The company noted the Directorate assessed the innovation level against other applicants for development permits, and not in relation to general production technology.

The company also asserted the development of the fleet, float collar, rigid foundation and double note are more than a natural further development of existing technology.

Leroy added in its complaint that it has presented a "groundbreaking and feasible concept" for sustainable production, noting many fjords today are not available for salmon and trout production, mainly due to the risk of escapes and challenges of sedimentation of sludge.