Havland, Aller Aqua partner to develop specialised cod feed 

NORWAY – Havland, a leading cod breeder in Norway, is calling for the development of specialised feed for cod as the aquaculture sector looks to strengthen production, improve fish welfare and support large-scale farming of the species.

To accelerate this shift, Havland has partnered with the Danish aquafeed company Aller Aqua to develop tailored feed formulations for cod across all life stages, from fry to market-size fish.

The collaboration aims to address a long-standing gap in the industry, where cod production has largely relied on feed designed for other marine species, particularly salmon.

“We need to understand that cod is not a strange kind of salmon. A cod is a cod, and it needs different things to develop, grow and become a healthy adult,” said Havland CPO Halvard Hovland. 

“So far, nobody has developed tailor-made cod feed.”

He added that the industry must move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to marine fish nutrition if cod farming is to reach its full potential.

Cod farming pushes for species-specific feed and production systems

Havland, based in Florø, Norway, has been working with cod for decades and says the sector is now at a critical turning point, driven by changing ocean conditions, pressure on wild stocks and rising demand for cod in global markets.

The company argues that future success will depend on combining genetics, water quality systems, early-stage feeding protocols and precision nutrition tailored specifically to cod.

Hovland said environmental pressures, including ecosystem shifts and changing fish populations, are also affecting wild cod availability and strengthening the case for scalable farming systems.

He noted that cod farming now competes on price with salmon in some markets, creating both opportunities and pressure for producers to improve efficiency and performance.

The partnership with Aller Aqua is intended to support the development of specialised diets that can improve growth, survival rates and fish welfare throughout the production cycle.

Hovland said Havland already produces around 80% of fingerlings in the market and is now scaling up production of market-size cod, with output expected to exceed 20 million healthy fingerlings this year.

The company is also investing in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) technology to improve water quality control, including temperature, oxygen levels and pathogen management.

By combining RAS technology with improved feed strategies, Havland aims to reduce waste output, improve fish health and optimise production efficiency.

Aller Aqua said the collaboration provides an important opportunity to test and refine cod feed under controlled production conditions, helping accelerate research and development for a species that has not yet benefited from highly specialised commercial feed solutions.

The partners believe the project could help reinvigorate large-scale cod farming by improving biological performance, supporting welfare standards and enabling more consistent production outcomes across different farming systems.

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