Animal welfare week program np

Animal welfare week

Together we create value for generations

We are excited to lead the way in promoting responsible fish farming and sustainability, by organizing a visit to Norway for key persons from the British seafood industry. This visit will provide an excellent opportunity for both Norwegian and British industry experts to meet and share their knowledge and experiences in the field.

Throughout the week, we have invited knowledgeable lecturers to share their insights on sustainable fish farming, and we are excited to learn from them. We hope that this week will be a

productive and meaningful experience for all involved, and we are committed to promoting sustainable practices that prioritize the welfare of our marine life.

Protecting the welfare of fish and crustaceans is a critical issue, and we believe that it is only by working together that we can make significant progress.

We hope that this week will be an important step towards creating a more sustainable and ethical seafood industry.

Welcome to the “Animal welfare week” in Ålesund.

Team Optimar is thrilled to have you here for some days of focused attention on the welfare of fish and crustaceans. This year’s event has been sparked by a growing concern among consumers, welfare organizations, and the industry itself for the wellbeing of these species

Day 1

Climate change, overfishing and pollution threaten marine life – and us. The ocean provides a living for more than a billion people. As the world’s population grows, more and more people need to be fed by what the ocean can provide. In principle, fishing is a renewable industry, but only if we manage the resources in the right way.

Tuesday, March 28th 2023

On the first day of our journey, we’ll embark on the Nordic Lady together and sail through the beautiful fjords to meet some of our aquaculture customers. As we take in the scenic views, we’ll have good time to break the ice and get to know each other better. First stop will be Salmon Evolution which is an esteemed land-based salmon farm, and where we’ll learn about their innovative farming techniques. Following this, we’ll make our way to Vikenco, a renowned slaughterhouse, to tour their state-of-the-art processing facility.

It promises to be a day filled with stunning sights, informative visits, and fantastic company.

Warning: the weather in Norway can be like a box of chocolate - you never know what you’re going to get. So, dress accordingly - one minute it’s sunny, the next it’s snowing, and before you know it, you’re caught in a rainstorm. It’s like playing wardrobe roulette, but with the right gear, you can definitely win this game!

Agenda for the day

Kl 09:00 | Departure Skansekaia Ålesund, boat trip with Nordic Lady.

Kl 10:30 | Visit to Salmon Evolution. Presentation of their cutting-edge approach to land-based salmon farming and their commitment to sustainability.

Kl 12:00 | Boat transportation to Vikenco.

Kl 13:00 | Lunch Vikenco.

Kl 13:30 | Visit and presentation Vikenco, slaughter and process factory for salmon.

Kl 15:00 | We’ll be departing on board the Nordic Lady to return to Ålesund.

Kl 17:00 | Quality Hotel Ålesund: beverages and presentation of each visiting company.

Kl 19:30 | Dinner at XL Diner in Ålesund Skaregata 1B, 6002 Ålesund.

“We want to bring out the best of the food that is harvested, and this quality we know is greatly affected by the handling of the fish both when alive and when beeing processed”.

BJØRNAR VIK | HEAD OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, OPTIMAR

Day 2

It may be difficult to relate to the feelings of animals, and especially for fish and crustaceans who are so very different from ourselves - but it is well established science that all animals including fish do experience fear and attractions in similar ways that we do. For instance, it is proven through handling of live fish that there is a significant impact on how the individuals behaves afterwards, and these behaviours we can and should relate to.

Wednesday, March 29th 2023

This morning we will take you through the subsea tunnels and out to our headquarter in Valderøya. During the day, main focus will be on exploring market possibilities, rebuilding, and innovative solutions. You’ll have the chance to hear interesting presentations from our partners, and see useful product demonstrations of sustainable solutions.

Agenda for the day

Kl 09:00 | Presentation of Optimar, by Sales Manager Mårten Jørgensen.

Kl 10:00 | Rebuild by Skipsteknisk Vegard Hjelvik & Anne Mari Relling.

Kl 11:00 | Coffee break.

Kl 11:15 | Michael Breen, onboard production/welfare wildfish, Institute of Marine Research (IMR)

Kl 12:15 | Lunch.

Kl 13:30 | Visit production Optimar - demonstration of Packing table and Electric stunner.

Kl 15:00 | Ola Inge Grøntvedt - presentation of Granit.

Kl 19:00 | Dinner at Polarbjørn, Storgata 16, N-6002 Ålesund

“No one wants to look back and see unnecessary pain being brought to millions of individual animals”.

BJØRNAR VIK | HEAD OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, OPTIMAR

Day 3

When fish are stressed, their biological processes become disturbed and get out of balance. If the fish doesn’t feel good, it won’t eat, and it may become sick. Just like us, we don’t want to eat when we’re stressed or in pain. From a practical standpoint, this fact will slow down their weight gain and, in extreme cases, can lead to their death.

Thursday, March 30th

This will be the conference day at Quality Hotel Ålesund, and our agenda includes a range of informative presentations and talks from our partners, covering various topics relevant to humane fish processing and sustainable seafood. Our speakers will share their expertise, experiences, and valuable perspectives on the industry’s current trends and future outlook.

During the conference, we’ll have ample opportunities for networking and learning from one another. We believe that sharing knowledge and collaborating with like-minded professionals is essential for advancing the industry and creating a better future for all.

Agenda for the day

Kl 08.30 | Bjørn Roth from Nofima will speak about fish welfare.

Kl 09.30 | Albin Gräns | PhD Associate professor | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | “Humane slaughter of fish and crustaceans: effects of various stunning methods on brain function”.

Kl 10.30 | Coffee break.

Kl 11.00 | Morten Hyldborg Jensen CCO Whitefish Insula AS | Sustainable Seafood processing in Norway.

Kl 12.00 | Lunch.

Kl 13.00 | Even T. Remøy, is presenting Remøy Management and their Stun & Bleed vessels.

Kl 14.00 | Roger Hofseth - Hofseth International.

Kl 15.00 | Visit to Hofseth production.

Kl 19.00 | Dinner at Atlanterhavsparken.

“We seek in every detail of our design how we can create more gentle handling of the fish”

BJØRNAR VIK | HEAD OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, OPTIMAR optimar.no

Animal welfare week agenda

Thank you

Through our systems millions of live fish are either threated or being brought in for slaughtering daily. We need to take out fish from the waters if we are going to put fish on our plates, and we believe that this provides a more sustainable way of feeding our population of humans, since most realistic options are not better.

We appreciate your contribution

As our journey comes to an end, we reflect on the valuable experiences and knowledge gained during our time together.

Hopefully, each of you has taken something meaningful away from this trip and will continue to apply it in your work and personal lives.

Our goal is for this knowledge to not only benefit us, but also to positively impact the wider community, as we work together to create a better and more sustainable future. We want to express our gratitude for your participation and contribution to this journey.

Let us remember that we can achieve great things as a team, and we’re excited to continue this important work in the near future.

“Our winning recipe is to make solutions that not only works good for operators and the quantity produced, but additionally is gentle and handles the fish and food products in a respectful and quality inducing way”.

BJØRNAR VIK | HEAD OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, OPTIMAR optimar.no

Our speakers

Mårten Jørgensen

Albin Gräns

Morten Hyldberg Jensen

Jannicke Valderhaug

Bjørn Roth

Even T. Remøy

Michael Breen

Ola Inge Grønnevet

Roger Hofseth

Sales Manager Optimar

PhD Associate Professor Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Environment and Health

CCO Whitefish Insula AS

Market Manager (and host of the event) Optimar

Doctor of science Nofima CEO Remøy Management AS

Scientist Institute of Marine Research

COO Halstensen Granit CEO Hofseth International AS

Anne Mari Relling

Vegard Hjelvik

Senior Engineer – Sales and Design Skipsteknisk

Project Manager, Skipsteknisk

Optimar Electric Stunner - the most effective and humane way to stun

“The electrical stunning system made by Optimar can be used as part of a commercially viable slaughter system. The system allows for a more humane slaughter than the traditional method of chilling in ice slurry without pre-stunning and also has product quality benefits. The system can also be operated with less staff and is easier to use in bad weather conditions”.

“We are very happy to work with this machine. We use it for the processing of our Claresse (catfish) from our own farm. Compared to other methods like on ice or bleeding to death, this is the perfect way for us to process. Because the fish experiences no stress which results in a better fish meat quality. It makes no sense for us to put a lot of effort and love into farming the fish in a good and sustainable way and then at the end, process the fish in a wrong way. With this stunning there is no stress = good quality”.

FRANK FOOLEN | CLARESSE VISVERWERKING B.V.