Climate change and the effects we are already witnessing were key topics in the first State of the Ocean speech by managing director Sissel Rogne.

One hundred fifty years have passed since the birth of Johan Hjort (1869-1948). Best remembered for his groundbreaking theory from 1914 on the natural fluctuations of fish stocks, Hjort paved the way for materials and methods that are used to this day, not least in climate studies.

A review of figures showing the amount of aquaculture in the areas that are, or have been, affected by the harmful algal bloom suggests that it was probably not caused by aquaculture. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that emissions of inorganic nutrients from fish farms may prolong the bloom.

The bloom of the alga Chrysochromulina leadbeateri in northern Norway has now lasted a week. It’s impossible to say how long the alga will continue to create problems for farmed fish, but there are some indications that it is becoming less harmful.

Wild fish can escape the deadly algal blooms, but farmed fish is held in cages. That is why the algae currently blooming in Northern Norway are lethal mainly to farmed salmon in the area.

On 24th of May 2019 in the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris, François Houllier, Managing Director of the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer) and Sissel Rogne, Managing Director of Institute of Marine Research (IMR) sign the renewal of a "Memorandum of understanding" which will govern and facilitate the scientific cooperation between the two institutes.