Heated debate between business leaders and politicians: “Politicians have ruined our predictability”
20. August 2025 · Ukategorisert
The debate on the framework conditions of the industry continue on the second day as Aqua Nor, Wiersholm, and Arctic Securities gather a fully packed conference room for a professional and social gathering. On stage, verbal punches are thrown from industry heavyweights.
There’s a large line outside the conference room before what may be the most heated event this year begins. Many are left standing in the back when law firm Wiersholm introduces the seminar “Growth in aquaculture: From politics and frameworks, to financing and other prerequisites for a technological, biological and sustainable development”.
Wiersholm share useful insight into the current legislation. Attorney Erik Staurset Andresen, who prosecuted Losna Seafood’s lawsuit against the state, talks about the expectations and pitfalls the industry faces.
Heavy punches from SalMar founder
Legal advisors, brokers, and industry leaders all confirm that the industry is pressured by high taxation and unpredictable policies.
An group of “A-listers” among industry leaders and politicians gather for a panel discussion: Even Tronstad Sagebakken (Norwegian Labour Party), Gustav Witzøe (Chairman of SalMar), Ola Branaas (Chairman of Firda Seafood), Svein-Gustav Sinkaberg (CEO of Sinkaberg), and Leif Eriksrød (Leader of stock team at Alfred Berg).
Witzøe opened with a clear message directed at the Labour Party representative, arguing that the ruling government of today has ruined the predictability of the industry, and used broken promises about the now implemented resource rent tax on aquaculture as an example.
“Salmar fell almost 50 % on the stock market the day the tax was announced. The Norwegian Labour Party taxes the industry for an income we don’t have, and all the political unpredictability hinder growth and scare away investors. We want to spend our time creating values and jobs along the coast – not on flying to Oslo to discuss with politicians that don’t understand anything,” Witzøe says onstage.
Supported by Firda Chairman
Chairman of Firda Seafood, Ola Branaas, supports Witzøe and speaks unfiltered about how he experiences the recent policies.
“The resource rent tax on aquaculture was meant to impact the five largest publicly traded companies in Norway. However, it’s impacted everyone, including the medium sized business. We’ve experienced a rampant bureaucratization that has been very tiring on our organisation. With all the unpredictability from the policy makers, we’re close to reconsider our operations, that we sometimes doubt if we should keep on operating,” Braanaas adds.
Communal resources
Sagebakken of the Labour Party stands firmly on the taxation policies of the party, and says they are not going to bend on the current taxation levels. He points out that the industry make use of communal resources, but emphasises that the Labour Party have a genuine interest in sustainable value creation.
After the panel discussion, the participants gathered for lunch and networking in the conference room.