Production of fish oil in Peru

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The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) broadcasts the television program Forbrukerinspektørene (FBI) which program addresses issues of interest for consumers. The program recently published a report on the production of fish oil in Peru. The report includes descriptions of Austevoll Seafood ASA's subsidiary, Austral. Subsequent to the broadcast, Austevoll Seafood ASA has received enquiries from the Norwegian Minister of the Environment and International Development, customers, employees and members of the general public. We do not acknowledge the way in which the program described Austral and its activities. Based on the feedback we have received, we find it necessary to comment on the environmental and health related issues addressed:

The program broadcast on 9 November, 2011, focused in particular on conditions in the town of Chimbote. One of the claims made was that emissions from the factories in this town impose serious health problems on the people of Chimbote. NRK reported that Austral has a factory in Chimbote. This is not correct. Austral does not have a factory in Chimbote. NRK had knowledge of this prior to broadcasting the program. It is extremely regrettable that NRK, despite having such prior knowledge, went on to link Austral to the alleged conditions in Chimbote. We emphasise that Austral's activities in Peru in no way justify a link to the allegations made and illustrated by NRK regarding Chimbote.

In the same program, information was also broadcast on the conditions in the town of Pisco. In this respect we can inform that the fish oil industry, Austral included, has made substantial investments in the environment there since 2004. The measures implemented in Pisco since 2004 have resulted in a total transformation of its harbour. The presentation broadcast by NRK on the conditions in Pisco consequently does not reflect the current environmental situation in the harbour. The work carried out there has gained acknowledgement from national and local politicians. The executed measures will provide a standard by which to measure the improvements we know the authorities and industry will implement also in other towns, including Chimbote. Subsequent to the broadcast, the factory has received a visit from a representative of the Norwegian embassy in Santiago. Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of the Environment and International Development, also confirmed in the program aired on NRK on 16 November 2011, that the embassy's impressions after the visit was that the factory is run in a proper manner, and that the company is involved in improving the situation there.

All of Austral’s factories in Peru are engaged in lawful handling of waste water, with pipelines reaching minimum 1 kilometre into the ocean. The length of the pipelines depends on natural conditions. In contradiction of what is reported by NRK, caustic soda is properly neutralized in special tanks before entering the waste water pipeline.

In Peru, as in all other countries, there is a significant increase in the focus on environment and resource management, and this is a positive factor. This also reflects the way we conduct our business. As a result, national authorities have implemented new regulations for the industry, and we are doing our utmost to remain at the forefront of such developments. The regulations have required substantial investments, and will continue to do so in the years ahead. The importance of the fisheries and the related shore-based industries for Peru has certainly played a decisive role in the success of the national authorities and industry in respect of resource management. We find it inspiring to invest in a location where documentation proves through generations that sustainable resource management of the fishing resources is possible. The recent system improvements only serve to enhance such inspiration. Austral Group is one of the few companies with an integrated Quality Assurance system including 11 standards for quality, safety and environment, including “ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System”, “ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System and “Dolphin Safe Regulation Systems”. Austevoll Seafood ASA shall continue to assist our professional management and employees in Peru in their efforts to develop and improve the company.

The Board of Directors in Austevoll Seafood ASA, Storebø, 18 November 2011

Contact person:

Chairman of the Board, Helge Singelstad, mobile +47 91 66 10 01
CEO, Arne Møgster, mobil +47 91 66 10 49

 

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Produksjon av fiskeolje i Peru

Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) har i programmet Forbrukerinspektørene (FBI) vist reportasjer knyttet til produksjon av fiskeolje i Peru. Reportasjene inkluderer beskrivelser om Austevoll Seafood ASA's datterselskap Austral. Austevoll Seafood ASA har i tilknytning til programmet mottatt henvendelser fra Miljø- og utviklingsministeren, kunder, ansatte og øvrig publikum. Vi kjenner oss ikke igjen i den beskrivelsen som i programmet er gitt om Austral og dets virksomhet. Med bakgrunn i tilbakemeldingene vi har mottatt, finner vi det nødvendig å komme med noen kommentarer til de miljø- og helsemessige forhold som ble tatt opp:

I programmet som ble sendt den 9. november 2011 ble det satt et særlig fokus på forholdene i byen Chimbote. Det ble blant annet hevdet at utslipp fra fabrikkene i denne byen påfører befolkningen i Chimbote alvorlige helseplager. NRK opplyste i programmet at Austral har fabrikk i denne byen. Dette er ikke korrekt. Austral har ingen fabrikk i Chimbote. Dette var NRK kjent med i forkant av programmet. Det er sterkt beklagelig at NRK, til tross for dette, knytter Austral til de forholdene det hevdes finnes i Chimbote. Vi understreker at Austral sin aktivitet i Peru ikke på noen måte rettferdiggjør en link til det NRK omtaler og viser fra Chimbote.

Det ble i det samme programmet gitt informasjon om forholdene i byen Pisco. I den sammenheng kan vi informere om at industrien, herunder Austral, siden år 2004 har gjennomført store miljøinvesteringer. De tiltak som er gjennomført i Pisco har siden 2004 endret denne havnen totalt. Den fremstilling som i NRK er gitt om forholdene i Pisco reflekterer derfor ikke dagens miljøpåvirkning i havnen. Arbeidet har fått anerkjennelse fra nasjonale og lokale politikere. Tiltakene vil fungere som målestokk for de forbedringer vi vet myndigheter og industri vil iverksette også i andre byer, herunder i Chimbote. I etterkant av programmet har fabrikken vært besøkt av en representant fra den norske ambassaden i Santiago. Miljø- og utviklingsminister Erik Solheim bekreftet også i programmet i NRK den 16. november 2011 at ambassadens inntrykk etter besøket var at fabrikken ble drevet på en god måte og at den er med på å forbedre situasjonen.

Samtlige av Austral sine fabrikker i Peru har lovmessig håndtering av avløpsvann med rørledninger som går minimum 1 km ut i sjøen. Rørledningens lengde avhenger av naturmessige forhold. I motsetning til det som opplyses fra NRK nøytraliseres kaustisk soda i egne tanker før den går i avløpsledning.

I Peru, som i alle andre land, er det et sterkt økende fokus på miljøhensyn og ressursforvaltning, det er bra. Dette gjenspeiler også vår virksomhet. Dette har medført at nasjonale myndigheter har iver