We adhere to the following principles for freshwater use:

• According to the World Resource Institute and its Aqueduct water risk atlas, our farming operations are in areas where there is low risk associated with freshwater use. Therefore, following local regulations is our main approach to ensure sustainable freshwater use.
• Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) is the preferred technical solution for our hatcheries, smolt and post-smolt facilities.
• We do not contribute to freshwater pollution and we only discharge wastewater from our freshwater facilities and processing plants to sea in coastal areas where there is low or low/medium risk associated water quality (Coastal Eutrophication potential), ref. WRI, Aqueduct water risk atlas. All our processing plants have installed treatment systems removing solids and nutrients in line with the discharge permits from local authorities, ensuring that the environmental condition and good caring capacity of the local recipient is maintained.
• We monitor our freshwater use in all land-based facilities.
• Freshwater use when producing feed raw materials or ingredients should be sustainable.
• Going forward, we will make a more thorough water risk assessment for the company.

Freshwater withdrawal

The freshwater sources are mostly local surface water from lakes or rivers, or groundwater from wells in nearby aquifers. As our sites are located close to the sea, most of the freshwater is sourced towards the end of the stream, with few or no activities sourcing water between our operations and the ocean.

Freshwater withdrawal in our own facilities during 2022: