Øyvind Kråkås of Firda Seafood Group raises an important discussion about zero emission aquaculture in his op-ed from March 11. As a provider of closed cage technology, I would like to contribute some perspectives in this debate.
First and foremost: there is no perfect technology that solves all the challenges in aquaculture — neither open nor closed systems. The real challenge lies in finding the right balance between competing factors: fish welfare, environmental impact, energy consumption, capital investment, and operational reliability.
Kråkås highlights several key concerns with closed systems: higher capital costs, technical vulnerability, and increased energy use. These are valid and important considerations. However, in the development of Westcon Hexacage, we have actively addressed these very challenges.
Our approach is to combine the best of both worlds: the biological control of land-based systems with the energy efficiency of sea-based operations. As a result, we are able to deliver energy consumption as low as 1.0 kWh per kilo of produced salmon.
When it comes to risk and reliability, our solution is built on Westcon’s 40 years of industrial and maritime experience. The result is a robust steel construction, engineered to withstand rough sea conditions and minimize technical vulnerability.
I share Kråkås’ view that evolution may be wiser than revolution. A rapid, regulation-driven technological shift without proper testing could lead to costly missteps. But that does not mean we should slow down innovation. Quite the opposite — we need both incremental improvements to current technologies and the development of new solutions.
The future of aquaculture will likely consist of a diverse mix of technologies tailored to different conditions and needs: land-based systems for smolt production, closed sea-based systems for post-smolt, and open cages for grow-out.
We therefore do not see our technology as a replacement for conventional solutions — but as a valuable complement.
Let’s not treat this as a competition between technologies, but rather a joint effort to advance a more sustainable aquaculture industry. We need both pioneers exploring new frontiers and experienced farmers contributing practical knowledge.
By combining these perspectives, we can achieve a gradual but focused development that ensures both environmental and economic sustainability for the future of Norwegian aquaculture.
