Reason for asking questions – E24

– We believe that there are reasons to question whether it is correct to have such large-scale facilities under this scheme, so that teaching licenses represent values ​​as great as those we are talking about here, says Terje Aasland, Labor Party spokesman for corporate policy.

E24 writes Sunday about the 13 top high schools along the coast that have very valuable teaching licenses for salmon and trout.

While fantastic profitability in the aquaculture industry has led to regular salmon licenses being marketed for over NOK 150 million, teaching licenses are still distributed free of charge to schools that have an approved teaching program for aquaculture.

According to E24’s calculations, the 13 school licenses have generated sales revenue close to NOK 2.5 billion and profits of more than NOK 600 million in the last three years alone.

The huge values ​​are shared between the schools and the private fish companies that rent the license, and they are responsible for most of the day-to-day operations.

– While those who can rent these licenses are engaged in several areas with training, we see that questions can be asked about it since the licenses represent such great values. Most are large-scale, with a maximum allowable biomass of 780 tonnes, Aasland says.

Winners and losers

Aasland emphasizes that the educational licensing scheme serves a good purpose, and that last year’s Fisheries Directorate inspection report showed that the scheme largely works as intended.

– This has led to educational institutions being able to offer an attractive, realistic and qualitatively good teaching in practical aquaculture and contribute to recruitment, says Aasland.

The report also shows that all licensed senior high schools have offerings that can lead to a business certificate.

– And since it is about allocation to educational institutions, we understand that there should be no remuneration for these, says Aasland.

Conservative fisheries policy spokesman Tom Christer Nilsen also supports teaching licenses continuing to be distributed free to schools.

– It is important that schools carry out an education that is as realistic and good as possible. It is quite strange that they have to pay for a state permit which is fundamental to the training program. The same is true for fishing quotas for catching wild fish for fishing subjects, says Nilsen.

Confidential agreements

How the values ​​are shared between the school and the breeder is set out in private law agreements between the parties, which are basically hidden from public access.

E24 has sent written questions to the principals of the other 12 upper secondary schools that have teaching licenses.

Of the four who responded, only two speak openly about the terms of their rental agreement. Guri Kunna High School in Frøya previously received two million in fixed annual rent and half of the proceeds from its license.

In the new agreement recently announced with the fisherman Måsøval, the school is instead insured ten million in fixed rent for the next ten years, regardless of the direction of the salmon price.

– The reason we want a fixed annual sum is the desire for more predictable rental income. This is so that we can budget and plan operations and activities on a longer horizon, Rector Espen Arntsberg tells E24.

He is much worse with Fræna High School, which has the same kind of arrangement that Guri Kunna had before.

– No benefits have been obtained from this license due to set-aside problems and diseases in the region. Therefore, the income has become the fixed income of two million per year, says principal Arne Tjelle of Fræna High School.

Conservative Tom Christer Nilsen questions whether schools have implemented these agreements in a way that allows all relevant breeders to “apply for” or “offer” their services as partners.

– I will investigate this further. It is only natural with such associations that one really checks the “market” to find out what kind of conditions the school can get, and thus guarantee students the best possible offer, says Nilsen.

Without looking at the economy

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries processes and decides on applications for teaching licenses. As a general rule, the rental of aquaculture permits is not allowed, but the management can make exceptions in special cases.

“In this context, the Directorate of Fisheries provides guidance on regulations and our practice. However, both the landlord and the tenant are in most cases professional actors who have sufficient competence to enter into such leases, ”Engelbreth writes.

– Has the extreme increase in the profitability and value of licenses in salmon farming in recent years affected management’s practice of granting teaching licenses?

‘The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries grants teaching permits upon request and based on the allocation conditions in the Salmon Allocation Regulations. The Salmon Allocation Regulation establishes that when granting a teaching permit the needs of the applicant and the planned operating plan will be taken into account, but that the needs of the holder of financial dividends as a result of the sale of common fish, “Engelbreth writes.

You want more transparency

Aasland has noted that in connection with the audit of the Directorate of Fisheries in 2019, no form of assessment was made as to whether the rental income appears to be reasonable or the use of rental income, as these are matters of law. private.

– It’s a shame there’s no more frankness about this, says Aasland.

The Labor Party has argued that there should be a new report for the Storting on the aquaculture industry.

– Based on what emerges here, educational licensing should be part of this announcement, says Aasland.