REGULATORY STANDARDS
Legislation promoting a viable and sustainable industry
We are working to ensure that the new macroalgae industry is built up in a viable and sustainable manner. Within the ALGET 2 project we have surveyed a range of legislation which sets the frames for the SMEs when producing quality macroalgae from sea to consumer.
Here you will find regulations for Norway, Iceland and Faeroe Islands in three main relevant areas:
Sustainable seaweed cultivation and harvesting of wild growing seaweed
Seaweed is a key factor in a more sustainable future. According to the Brundtland Commission report (1987) sustainable use of resources is: economic growth and improved living conditions for people without destroying neither the natural resources, the environment generally or future generations’ possibilities to ensure their needs.
The key principles in any strategies and legislations are therefore to maintain clean, rich and productive ecosystems where natural diversity is taken care of. At the same time, aquaculture like all food production, has an impact on nature. The impact is assessed on an ongoing basis, and measures to limit negative consequences are put in place where necessary by laws and regulations.
Norwegian legislation
Regulation on harvesting of macroalgae
Havressursloven/“The Marine Resources Act”
Law/ Act about management of wild living marine resources.
Landingsforskriften/“The Landing Regulation”
Regulation on landing- and end-declaration.
Naturmangfoldloven/“The Natural Diversity Act”
Law/ Act on management of natural diversity.
Økologiforskriften/Regulations on Organic Agricultural and Aquaculture Products
Regulation 18 March 2017 No 355 on organic production and labelling of organic agricultural products, aquaculture products, food and feed.
Regulatory standards for cultivated seaweed
In order to engage in the production and cultivation of aquatic plants as macroalgae, a permit is required.
Harvesting of seaweed in industrial scale
These regulations are limited to be valid for harvesting of macroalgae which is carried out with trawls or other mechanical tools. The Directorate of Fisheries assumes that the activity of manual cutting of macroalgae falls outside the scope of the regional harvesting regulations.
Icelandic legislation
Lög um stjórn fiskveiða
Fisheries management act. Chaper on wild harvested seaweed.
Reglugerð um öflun sjávargróðurs í atvinnuskyni
Regulation on harvesting of seaweed for commercial purposes.
Reglugerð um vigtun og skráningu sjávarafla
Regulation on weighing and registration of marine catch.
Reglugerð um skráningu og rafræn skil aflaupplýsinga
Regulation on registration and electronic submission of catch information.
Download pdf with more information on Icelandic legislation on macroalgae
Faroese legislation
To cultivate algae in the Faroe Islands, you need a permit.
The Faroese law that covers all aquaculture
Requirements that need to be met about how to run your algae farm, both on land and at sea.
Focus on prevention of the spread of infection, primarily on salmon diseases.
Food Safety
Legislation in the food area contributes to food safety for consumers. Legislation must ensure that food shall not do harm to, or mislead consumers when preparing and consuming the product in accordance with its intended use. Regulations shall also ensure that the food product is sold in an honest way with correct labelling, weight, etc. Regulations shall also cover advertising and other commercials activities.
All players who carry out food business operations must be registered at the Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet in Norway, MAST in Iceland, Heilsufrøðliga Starvsstofan in the Faroe Islands). However, the producers are liable for their products to be safe.
Currently, no specific regulations have been elaborated for macroalgae in Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The Food Safety Authorities in Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands are however in a process of increasing their knowledge and assessing the need for development of national and Nordic regulations for macroalgae.
Until further notice everyone who wishes to cultivate or process macroalgae for food must adhere to the general food laws and regulations.
The most important laws and regulations in Norway
Act (law) on food production and food safety etc. (the Food Law)
Regulation on food hygiene (the Food Hygiene Regulation)
Regulation on materials and objects in contact with food (the Food Contact Regulation)
Regulation on internal control to comply with the Food laws and regulations (IC-Food Regulation)
Regulation on novel foods (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283)
The most important laws and regulations in Iceland
Leiðbeiningar og reglur um vottun lífrænnar framleiðslu og náttúrunytja
Guidelines and rules on certification of organic production and natural uses. The organic certification office Tún publishes, in collaboration with Icelandic Food Safety Authority, an indicative handbook on requirements for organic methods in the production of agricultural products, in accordance with Icelandic and European legal rules in force in the area organic production at any given time.
Lög um matvæli nr 93/1995
Food Act no. 93/1995
Reglugerð um gildistöku reglugerðar Evrópuþingsins og ráðsins um hollustuhætti sem varða matvæli
Regulation on the entry into force of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on food hygiene no 103/2010
Reglugerð um gildistöku tiltekinnar gerðar Evrópusambandsins um efni og hluti sem ætlað er að komast í snertingu við matvæli no 298/2008Regulation on the entry into force of certain acts of the European Union on substances and articles intended to come into contact with food.
Reglugerð um nýfæði no 735/2017
Regulation on novel foods
The most important laws and regulations in the Faroe Island
Labelling of foodstuffs in the Faroe Islands
Translations in English of some of the above laws and regulations
Marketing, commercials, and advertising
Marketing is all types of communication designed for, or which leads to, increased recognition, and consumption of certain products or services. It includes all activities which promote a product or service.
If we are exposed to misleading marketing, labelling, or in other way untruthful or misleading information, we make other choices than we would do otherwise. When these choices affect for example health and development in a negative sense, it is both ethically and legally problematic.
Norwegian legislation
Regulation on control with marketing and contract terms (The Marketing regulation)
Regulation on food information to the consumers (the Food Information Regulation)
Regulations on nutrition and health claims on food stuffs
Icelandic legislation
Reglugerð um miðlun upplýsinga um matvæli til neytenda
Regulation on the dissemination of food information to consumers no 1294/2014.
Reglugerð um gildistöku reglugerðar Evrópusambandsins nr. 1924/2006 um næringar- og heilsufullyrðingar er varða matvæliRegulation on the entry into force of EU Regulation no. 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims concerning foodstuffs.