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BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram

The Spanish salt fish market and opportunities for the Norwegians

Awarded: NOK 6.7 mill.

Project Number:

185126

Project Period:

2008 - 2013

Funding received from:

Location:

Partner countries:

The objective of this project is to investigate the restructuring of the Spanish salt fish market and the adaptation of the Norwegian salt fish producers to this market. While exports of salt fish to Spain from other countries have grown considerably the Norwegians have lost market share the last decade. This project will investigate into the reasons for such negative changes and suggest strategies to improve the situation. A second strategy for restoration of Norwegian market influence will be linked to development of training and educational programs for workers in the Norwegian salt fish industry. The research is performed from a value chain perspective, where the influences of resource markets as well as the consumer markets are interconnected. Wit h its theoretical background in the institutional and evolutionary economy the project analyses the market transformations referring to size, products, regional distribution and consumer profiles for Spain as salt fish market. Changes are linked to new te chnology, institutional and innovative practices in salt fish production. As drivers for restructuring of the salt fish value chain the hypothesis refer to socio-institutional processes in the consumer markets and to technological changes which enhance th e social impacts for the retail trade. A flexible adaptation to the consumer markets for salt fish producers involves innovation systems and production conventions in raw fish and processing sectors that must correspond to market conventions and consume r demand trends. This is a joint project between three Norwegian salt fish firms, the former State Vocational School for the fishing industry in Vardø, and the University of Bergen together with 3 other Norwegian and one Spanish academic institution. B esides academic publication the results will be disseminated as educational programs for salt fish workers, through workshops and conferences and through the industry?s media channels and journals.

Funding scheme:

BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram