The Political Economy of Salmon Aquaculture: Value Sharing and Societal Support for Aquaculture in Norway

Aquaculture production is typically located in rural coastal areas where the industry’s economic and environmental impact is highly visible. Aquaculture industry is at times controversial and subject to criticism regarding its externalities. For the industry to continue and expand, it needs support and acceptance from the public. We empirically examine the social support yfor aquaculture production in Norway using survey data, investigating the impact of economic as well as social factors. We find that people living in municipalities with aquaculture activities have a more favorable view of aquaculture production and become more positive with increasing presence of the industry. However, people also report that the economic benefits generated are not fairly shared in the communities where the production occurs. Our results show that proximity to aquaculture activities improve social acceptance, while perceptions of how equitably the economic benefits of aquaculture are distributed within communities also play an important role.