A major salmon permit auction in Norway this week has netted the government more than five billion krone – or almost £400m.
A large part of the proceeds, which will be paid out later this year, will go to coastal farming communities.
Most of Norway’s largest salmon farmers came away with sizeable volumes, but the biggest buyer was Japanese-owned company Cermaq, which paid more than a billion krone (£74m) for 3,360 tonnes of permitted biomass.
Close behind was the combined deep sea fishing and aquaculture company Holmøy Havbruk AS which bought 2,770 tonnes for just over NOK 900,000 (£67m)
Mowi and SalMar also went in big buying 2,704 tonnes and 2,274 tonnes respectively. The privately-owned business Nordlaks purchased just over 1,000 tonnes.
In total 17,300 tonnes was successfully sold off for almost NOK 5.3 billion.
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss said: “New permits in areas with a good environmental situation facilitate further growth in the aquaculture industry.
“I am happy that many players have taken part in the auction, and that there has been a great willingness to bid. This shows that there is a great demand for breeding permits.”
She added: “The farming industry is valuable for Norway. It contributes to sustainable food production, jobs and activity along the entire coast, and is a mainstay in many local communities.”
Just over 50% of the proceeds (around £200m) will be distributed to municipalities and county councils along the coast through the Norwegian aquaculture fund.