Norwegian fish farms polluting fjords with waste likened to ‘raw sewage of millions of people’
Norwegian fish farms are releasing significant levels of nutrient pollution into fjords, equivalent to the raw sewage of millions of people, according to a report by the Sunstone Institute. The waste from salmon farming contributes to oxygen depletion and harmful algal blooms, particularly in vulnerable, semi-enclosed waters like Sognefjord. Experts warn that current pollution levels are unsustainable and could worsen without stricter controls on aquaculture expansion.
- ▪Norwegian aquaculture released 75,000 tonnes of nitrogen, 13,000 tonnes of phosphorus, and 360,000 tonnes of organic carbon in 2025.
- ▪The nutrient pollution is equivalent to the untreated sewage of 17.2 million people for nitrogen, 20 million for phosphorus, and 30 million for organic carbon.
- ▪Fjords like Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord are experiencing declining oxygen levels, with farm waste responsible for about two-thirds of oxygen depletion in Sognefjord.
- ▪Seasonal nutrient loads peak in summer, when ecosystems are least able to absorb them, worsening environmental impacts.
- ▪Nine fish farm applications were rejected in March due to concerns over additional emissions in already stressed fjords.
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Oxygen levels have been depleted in Sognefjord, Norway’s longest fjord. Photograph: Thom Lang/AlamyView image in fullscreenOxygen levels have been depleted in Sognefjord, Norway’s longest fjord. Photograph: Thom Lang/AlamyNorwayNorwegian fish farms polluting fjords with waste likened to ‘raw sewage of millions of people’Exclusive: ‘Fish sludge’ in coastal waters now has nutrient levels equivalent to those in untreated effluent of country the size of Australia, report findsAjit NiranjanMon 4 May 2026 18.01 EDTLast modified on Mon 4 May 2026 18.02 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleNorwegian fish farms are filling fjords and other coastal waters with nutrient pollution equivalent to the raw sewage of tens of millions of people each year, a report has found.Norway is the largest farmed…
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