Norwegian Seafood Industry Fears A New Season Without Enough Workers, Wants Open-Border Guarantee from Government

“We have demonstrated that we can manage infection control regulations and the situation around the pandemic well”, says Director of Industry and Trade at Seafood Norway Stine Akselsen to High North News.

The 2021 winter fisheries were challenging to all parts of the chain in the seafood industry. It soon became clear that companies of the industry were in a crisis without access to a sufficient amount of seasonal workers.

Closed borders and high infection rates on the continent made the government refuse the regular seasonal workers from East Europe entry to Norway.

It was suggested the industry employ Norwegians who were laid off from other industries, as well as long-term unemployed people. That also turned out to be a problem, as there was not nearly enough people in these categoreis who were interested in this kind of seasonal work.

Close dialogue

Today, Seafood Norway is in close dialogue with the authorities to make sure measures taken are adjusted to the seafood industry’s needs before next year’s winter fisheries seasons, which commences shortly after Christmas.

“It is important that the winter fisheries are conducted in a responsible way, without entry halts”, Akselsen says.

This is also a clear message from the member companies of Seafood Norway.

“We have had a good dialogue with the County Governor in Nordland as well as in Troms and Finnmark in which we have pointed out how important this kind of work power is to these companies and how the industry can contribute to limiting infection in the enterprises”, Stine Akselsen says.

Clear demands

She points to the need for a solid test regime on the border as well as the opportunity to make us of vaccine passports and testing on the job.

“The seafood industry has during the past year done a great and important job on its own infection control regime and there has been little infection within the industry”, Akselsen says.

On Thursday morning, the seafood organizations had planned a meeting with the Ministry of Fisheries. Akselsen says they will be voicing their demands clearly.

“The actors in the fish industry say they can handle everything but closed borders. In addition, the situation is different today when it comes to work power. There are fewer layoffs and fewer hands to which to offer seasonal work.”

Dependent on seasonal workers

The seafood industry survived the previous season through limiting activity and having fewer staff on the floor, a turnaround they managed to do.

“However, now, we depend on bringing people in. We cannot opt out of winter fisheries altogether”, Akselsen says.

She explains that the seasonal workers are a permanent group of workers who travel to Northern Norway ever year. They cross the border only once and then stay in Norway until spring.

The solution is to have good border control.

“No one is as concerned with good infection control as we are. An outbreak at one of the factories would be disastrous. Last season, the fish landing plants did a fantastic job maintaining infection control and they managed to avoid infections. We have demonstrated that we can manage this in a solid and responsible way.”

Want a guarantee

What expectations do you now have to the government?

“I find it to be concerned with finding solutions and I am glad we have established a good dialogue. However, we need a guarantee that the last thing the government will do is shutting the borders.”

A lot has changed in one year. There are vaccinations, established infection control regulations, fewer Norwegians laid off, and sadly also a higher infection rate in the north.

However, we have more knowledge.

“We do not find ourselves in an entirely new situation. We have demonstrated that we can get through this. There is no reason to shut the borders.”

No plan B

Akselsen lauds the County governor for being forward-leaning and looking for good solutions.

“They were brilliant during the previous round, and they are connected this time too. They want us to make this work.”

“We have gained valuable experience with quarantines and the structures are in place. However, now it will also be important for the municipalities to have solid test capacity, just like they had last year.”

What if the government choses to close the borders again after Christmas? Do you have a plan B?

“No. We cannot do this without seasonal workers from abroad. The authorities have the necessary tools, and they can manage if border control is good. If they can do that, we may conduct the winter fisheries in a good way”, Stine Akselsen says to High North News in closing.

This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by HNN's Elisabeth Bergquist.