Fisheries and Aquaculture

BAHR – acute on aquaculture

Norway is often portrayed as a land of mountains. But you could also picture it as a land of water – from the fjords to the open ocean, Norway administers an area of sea seven times larger than its mainland. Fisheries and aquaculture (the seafood industry) is our second largest export industry.

Such an important and environmentally-sensitive industry has attracted considerable – often highly complicated – regulation. Fortunately, our experienced team can help you through the complexities of the licensing regimes and framework regulations, guiding your project to a successful conclusion. From innovative fisheries schemes to major acquisitions, BAHR is at the forefront of the field, handling such high-profile recent matters as:

• Acting as legal advisor to SalMar in connection with its voluntary offer to purchase all outstanding shares in NTS, with its subsidiaries, including SalmoNor, Norway Royal Salmon, Arctic Fish and Frøy. Through the transaction SalMar acquired a majority of the shares in OSE-listed NTS through a public tender offer, while simultaneously executing a merger with Norway Royal Salmon, another OSE-listed company, which at the time was controlled by NTS. As part of the transactions, NTS also sold its 100% stake in private salmon farming company SalmoNor to Norway Royal Salmon prior to completion of the merger with SalMar.
• Advising Cermaq, one of the world’s largest companies in the area of salmon and trout farming, with its innovative iFarm project assisting with both regulatory issues and contract negotiations.
• Acting for Aker Capital in relation to the creation of a strategic partnership with SalMar to establish a global offshore aquaculture company, SalMar Aker Ocean. The new company will operate in the offshore fish farming segment, including offshore and semi-offshore, combining both Aker’s and SalMar’s extensive industry experience. Our role included transactional, contractual and regulatory assistance.

Whether you are contemplating an investment in an aquaculture business, require advice on Norway’s regulatory codes or for any other fisheries and aquaculture related matter from intellectual property disputes and administrative appeals to tax advice, our business-focused team has the experience you’re looking for.

For more information on how we can help you, please get in touch with one of our key points of contact.