Exploring public perceptions and expectations of the salmon aquaculture industry in Norway: A social license to operate?

The aquaculture industry depends on the support of society to maintain and extend its activities. In Norway and elsewhere, such support cannot be taken for granted. The public has diverse expectations of the industry, and attitudes toward the industry are shaped by experiences with industry production, how the benefits and disadvantages of aquaculture production are distributed in society, and the kind and degree of information about industry issues that is available. This paper investigates public attitudes toward the Norwegian salmon aquaculture industry through a nationwide survey (N = 1183).