Full utilization of pink salmon

Pink salmon is an alien species that has rapidly increased in numbers along the Norwegian coast, posing a threat to native salmon populations in Norwegian rivers. At the same time, it is a valued food fish and an important commercial resource in North America and Russia. This project aims to help shift pink salmon in Norway from being an environmental challenge to becoming a valuable and sustainable resource.

In close collaboration with industry partners and local fishers, Møreforsking investigates how raw material from pink salmon caught at sea and in rivers can be processed into safe, profitable, and sustainable products. A key focus is assessing the quality of oil and protein-rich hydrolysates, with the overall ambition that the seafood industry will be able to utilise the whole fish to produce high-quality ingredients for human consumption.

By increasing knowledge of the raw material’s properties and potential, the project will support improved resource utilisation, greater value creation in coastal communities, and reduced environmental impact in rivers where pink salmon is established.