Follow along with live from-the-floor updates from the IntraFish reporting team. Drew Cherry, Demi Korban and Nina Unlay will be giving you the latest.

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Wednesday, March 4, 17:58 CET

Croatia primed to deliver premium Mediterranean fish

“We are trying to be premium products, we are not cheap fish,” Cromaris CEO Goran Markulin said. The company is putting efforts into developing its seafood brand. At the moment, Croatia-based Cromaris has 44 percent visibility in Italy – one of it biggest markets, and 67 percent visibility in its domestic market.

The company expects to grow profitably through increasing consumption of Mediterranean fish. Cromaris expects a 10 to 15 percent increase per year using this strategy.

-- Demi Korban

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Wednesday, March 4, 17:57 CET

Figuring out the post-Brexit trade deals

The post-Brexit world holds many uncertainties, but one thing is clear: trade is not going to be frictionless.

The country will negotiate with parties such as Norway, the United States and Japan for bilateral agreements since there is a “willing seller and buyer,” but how that will impact relations between Norway and the European Union is still a question, UK Provision Trade Federation Director General Andrew Kuyk said.

“However, what matters is not who supplies what to where but maintaining continuity and the same price,” Kuyk said.

-- Demi Korban

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Wednesday, March 4, 17:55 CET

Atlantic Sapphire not opposed to netpen farming

During the panel discussion on land-based salmon farming, moderator Solveig van Nes posed the question, "How can we avoid the debate between RAS and ocean-based [aquaculture]?"

"We’ve always been very clear that we are not opposed to netpen and sea-based farming," said Atlantic Sapphire Finance Director Karl Oyehaug. "We just see enormous potential in the demand side. We don’t think it's one of the other, we think there is a lot of space for both, we need a lot of supply."

When talking on the issue of taking up land as a common resource, some panelists argued that air freight was more impactful.

"Land is not an issue at all. We use an extremely small amount of land," said Oyehaug. "The value chain is what you have to look at. We have always been very clear that we will be producing close to markets."

--Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 17:48 CET

Stronger salmon prices expected in 2020

"We expect earnings in 2020 to increase driven by stronger prices," said Carl-Emil K. Johannessen of Pareto Securities. "Levels have come down due to the lower salmon price 2019, we expect this to reverse in 2020."

The increased salmon prices will help the margins, he said.

"It’s always been a story that salmon shares should trade more in line with other protein companies, but now we see that salmon is trading at a premium compared to other protein producers. We are still optimistic about the market, but we don’t see a wave of supply coming."

--Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 12:48 CET

A lot rides on seafood

Tim Noonan, managing director of aquaculture feed giant Cargill, gave attendees an overview of future global protein demand, showing seafood could be the tip of the spear.

Animal protein demand is projected to rise to 550 million metric tons by 2026. Of that, seafood is projected to make up the largest share at around 184 million metric tons -- up from 161 million in 2018.

The global seafood growth and contribution through 2026 is expected to rise by 37 percent to 23 million million metric tons. Poultry is expected to account for a similar percentage and number for that growth, while beef growth will have a slower growth level.

"Despite what you read in the media, demand for animal protein is still rising," Noonan said.

Cargill research found that 70 percent of consumers surveyed said they intend to increase their animal protein consumption in the next year.

Interestingly enough, however, 83 percent expressed interest in alternative proteins.

That tells us that alternative protein growth may not come at the expense of animal proteins, Noonan said.

"It will probably comprise a basket," he said.

The same goes for wild and farmed seafood, Noonan added. Increasingly, buyers will want to deal with larger, more efficient players who can assure safety, traceability and the variety that the new generation of consumers demands.

--Drew Cherry

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Wednesday, March 4, 12:32 CET

Generational gaps in purchasing concerns

Norway Seafood Council CEO Renate Larsen said that the words “organic” and “sustainability” are much more impactful on younger customers, while boomers are more concerned with food safety and taste. "The world now has woken up when it comes to making choices that are good for our planet and our health and this force will gain strength in the time to come."

--- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 12:20 CET

One planet, one plan

Independent expert in risk management and quality assurance DNV GL has made a commitment to do more to increase innovation in the seafood industry, CFO Thomas Vogth-Eriksen said.

"We can work together throughout the value chain to share data and focus on transparency and traceability," Eriksen said.

The company introduced My Story, a blockchain platform to trace seafood from catch to plate, in order to address consumer trust and reputation.

"The seafood industry should think globally to create value beyond fish exports in itself," Eriksen said. "Think not like the vikings, but more like the Romans."

He stressed of the need for stronger governance within the North Atlantic seafood cluster for blue growth and innovation.

--- Demi Korban

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Wednesday, March 4, 11:54 CET

Unilever ups its range of plant-based products

In the last 12 months, consumer goods giant Unilever launched over 200 products that were plant-based or vegan, said Noel Clarke, managing director for Unilever Nordics.

The company is also working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to develop the 50 Future Foods report to identify 50 key grains the world needs to be migrating towards.

Uniliver products are used by 2.5 billion households, roughly a third of the world’s population, according to the exec.

--- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 11:29 CET

The food industry will become the biggest contributor to climate change

"This needs to change," Tesco's Responsible Sourcing Director Giles Bolton said. "For Tesco, if you see that coming, we need to think of how to get to the front foot."

The UK retail giant is looking at how to drive sustainable change through focusing on several proxy products, including salmon fillets.

One way, is through going "harder and faster" in rolling out salmon fed with algal oil.

The retailer said it will support key salmon suppliers in ramping up the use of omega-3 enriched algal oil.

--- Demi Korban

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Wednesday, March 4, 10:50 CET

Collaboration within the industry

SeaBos keystone actors represent roughly 10 percent of the global value of seafood production, Managing Director Marin Exel told the delegates at NASF, including executives from Thai Union, CP Foods, Maruha Nichiro, Mowi, Nutreco and Cargill, to name a few.

SeaBos is founded on collaboration, Exel said, with “industry working with science and policy groups to achieve stewardship.

During the group’s recent conference in Phuket, Thailand, a task force on climate resilience was added, the 6th in the group’s current roster of task forces.

-- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 09:50 CET

The Faroese fairy tale

"In 1979, in a small village in Faroe islands, you could see a small dinghy anchored in the pier. This was our first vessel to feed and harvest our salmon," Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen said. "Today at the same pier, our biggest 75-meter well boat is delivering salmon to our state-of-the-art processing facility."

To date, Bakkafrost now has 30 land and sea sites, and 1,900 employees. Its "capable and engaged workforce" is an essential part of the company's success, according to the top exec, along with Bakkafrost's long value chain.

"Circularity is the new sustainability," said Jacobsen. "The value chain is very much the focus of Bakkafrost ... to combine growth with risk mitigation and high efficiency is crucial. To manage the value chain has been key for us."

Bakkafrost's value chain begins with marine raw material and ends in its processing facilities. Converting low-food-value proteins into high edible proteins is at the crux of creating high value, Jacobsen said.

"We turned our remote geographic location into a competitive advantage to produce products known for world-class quality... turning a disadvantage into an advantage."

-- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 09:50 CET

Trends in the global fisheries and aquaculture sector

"The fish sector has faced a lot of changes in terms of production in the past years," said Marcio Castro de Souza, senior fisheries trade officer, FAO Rome, as he gave the delegates an overview of the trends in fisheries and aquaculture production.

"We are foreseeing that in 2022 that aquaculture production will surpass wild-catch fisheries," de Souza said.

According to the data presented, China is still the world's top producer at 19 percent in fisheries, and 58 percent in aquaculture.

From 2017 to 2019, production growth in America was 5.5 percent; in Europe, 2 percent; and in Asia, 3.1 percent. The major importers of the world are the United States, China, Japan, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom, while the major exporters are China, the United States, India, Norway, and Chile.

-- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 09:39 CET

Norwegian trade relations and the "traffic light" system

Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Seafood State Secretary Trine Danielsen kicked off the forum by addressing trade relations between Norway, the EU, and the United Kingdom.

“Norway is committed to maintaining the best possible cooperation between the United Kingdom and EU,” she said. “As we speak the negotiations on quotas are being negotiated. For fisheries, we have already had bilateral talks with the United Kingdom and the EU. These talks are now a priority. I believe we have succeeded in having good cooperation historically. We will continue to work for mutual access in each other’s waters as well as finding new arrangements for the exchange of quotas.”

She also discussed the Norwegian "traffic light" production area system, stating that this year was the first time that production in two coastal areas will have to be reduced.

"This is a loss for the nation," she said. "We aim to sustain and reduce the impact of sea lice on wild salmon."

-- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 09:19 CET

Welcome to the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen, Norway

“More for less, that’s what we need to do to sustain our growth,” said Guus Pastoor, president of the European Seafood Federation (AIPCEE), as he welcomed delegates to the 15th North Atlantic Seafood Forum.

“Not so long ago, maybe 15 years, many people stated that total depletion of fish stocks would come because of strong overfishing. It didn’t happen. [And] it didn’t happen because many people took responsibility, took action, and we found ways to develop the fisheries. We found our way out. Now we are in the climate debate, and many people are pessimistic,” he said. Pastoor also cited Brexit and the ongoing coronavirus outbreak as other key issues affecting the industry at present.

“If we look at history, we just have to hope that we find clever people and hope that we can go on. We have a common responsibility to find these solutions.”

-- Nina Unlay

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Wednesday, March 4, 09:00 CET

Here we go... 15th year of NASF is underway

The North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) is underway in Bergen, Norway. The three-day event brings together some of the biggest companies and executives in the seafood industry.

IntraFish will be reporting throughout the event, so check back here regularly for updates.