The fishmonger's showdown with the salmon industry

The fishmonger from Aarhus meets with Grieg Seafood and researchers for a debate. Who is right about the farmed salmon?

Fishmonger Jakob Clausen became a national celebrity in Denmark when he removed all farmed fish from his counter and spoke out against the aquaculture industry. Clausen is the fifth generation fishmonger and runs Denmark's oldest fish shop in Aarhus. He believes that farmed salmon live undignified lives in the pens, and as a professional, he does not endorse the quality of the product.

"I think we should focus on the food that nature provides us, instead of selling fish from farms that have lived on pellets and swum around in cages in the sea or on land," he stated in a press release about the aquaculture boycott.

Clausen meets with community liaison at Grieg Seafood, Liv Marit Årseth, for a debate. Grieg Seafood has long been an international seafood company with salmon farming in Finnmark, Rogaland, and Canada. Starting in 2026, they will withdraw from Finnmark and Canada and focus all efforts on Rogaland.

Grieg Seafood is proud of the salmon they deliver to stores and restaurants around the world. On their website, they assure that sustainability is fundamental to their operation: "Sustainable farming practices are the foundation of Grieg Seafood's operations. The lowest possible environmental impact and the best possible fish welfare is both an ethical responsibility and drive economic profitability."

Research
Two researchers will also contribute to the debate with their knowledge in the field.

Geir H. Bolstad researches the effects of escaped farmed salmon and lice. He is a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and a member of the Scientific Council for Salmon Management. Bolstad will join us via link from Trondheim and will share the latest news from the research on the Norwegian salmon population.
Ragnar Tveterås is a professor of industrial economics at UiS. He leads several research projects that examine how the aquaculture industry can become more profitable and less harmful to nature. Tveterås argues that the aquaculture industry can be greener than it is today and secure food for a global population that is constantly increasing.
The event is free and open to all. No registration required.

Language: English.