Organic waste in farming of salmon 151
8.3 Methodology
To understand the valorisation of waste and to analyse possibilities for new
and sustainable pathways for organic waste from juvenile salmon production,
we have used two different sources of data. This analysis consists of both secondary and primary data.
We used secondary data in the initial phases of the study: industrial reports,
government documents and the academic literature. This shaped the seven
semi- structured interviews (primary data) with different fish producers and
technology providers. The purpose of the interviews was to investigate waste
streams in land- based farming, in order to understand the potential challenges
connected to the current system from the perspective of the salmon producers. The interviews included questions about:
• How the organic waste is currently managed: processes, policy and
potential challenges;
• Current and potential new value chains for organic waste: innovation,
competition and barriers;
• Options for upgrading the firm, as well as incentives, trade- offs and
demand factors;
• Social, economic and environmental sustainability factors that influence
waste handling.
We interviewed six salmon production companies: five in Norway and one
in Denmark. These firms represent the majority of the Norwegian and
Danish production of smolt. Geographically, the firms are located across the
whole coastline in Norway, and on the west coast of Denmark. Each of the
interviewed fish production firms produce salmon all the way from hatchery
to slaughter- ready fish, although our interviews focused on their land- based
smolt production operations. We also interviewed a technology supplier in
Denmark to understand the future trends and market outlook for this
industry.
8.4 Findings
8.4.1 Current utilisation
From the data collection, we find that the sludge from land- based salmon
production primarily has three different areas for use; as soil improvement and
fertiliser in agricultural farming, as combustible material for heating in
processing of new industrial products or as a replacement of fossil fuel after
recycling, for example in transportation.
8.3 Methodology
To understand the valorisation of waste and to analyse possibilities for new
and sustainable pathways for organic waste from juvenile salmon production,
we have used two different sources of data. This analysis consists of both secondary and primary data.
We used secondary data in the initial phases of the study: industrial reports,
government documents and the academic literature. This shaped the seven
semi- structured interviews (primary data) with different fish producers and
technology providers. The purpose of the interviews was to investigate waste
streams in land- based farming, in order to understand the potential challenges
connected to the current system from the perspective of the salmon producers. The interviews included questions about:
• How the organic waste is currently managed: processes, policy and
potential challenges;
• Current and potential new value chains for organic waste: innovation,
competition and barriers;
• Options for upgrading the firm, as well as incentives, trade- offs and
demand factors;
• Social, economic and environmental sustainability factors that influence
waste handling.
We interviewed six salmon production companies: five in Norway and one
in Denmark. These firms represent the majority of the Norwegian and
Danish production of smolt. Geographically, the firms are located across the
whole coastline in Norway, and on the west coast of Denmark. Each of the
interviewed fish production firms produce salmon all the way from hatchery
to slaughter- ready fish, although our interviews focused on their land- based
smolt production operations. We also interviewed a technology supplier in
Denmark to understand the future trends and market outlook for this
industry.
8.4 Findings
8.4.1 Current utilisation
From the data collection, we find that the sludge from land- based salmon
production primarily has three different areas for use; as soil improvement and
fertiliser in agricultural farming, as combustible material for heating in
processing of new industrial products or as a replacement of fossil fuel after
recycling, for example in transportation.