ABSTRACT
The fishing and aquaculture industries are essential to global food security and economic stability but face significant environmental challenges, particularly from marine plastic pollution. This chapter examines the potential for implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Norway’s fishing and aquaculture sectors as a means to address plastic waste and enhance producer accountability. Despite increasing awareness, there remain critical knowledge gaps regarding the life cycle, usage, and end-of-life management of synthetic fishing gear and aquaculture equipment. This chapter provides an overview of the materials and equipment used in Norway’s commercial seafood production and identifies data requirements for designing a functional EPR system. Based on a multi-stakeholder participatory process and gap analysis, the study outlines key stakeholder groups, proposes scientific methodologies for data collection, and explores their application in assessing performance indicators relevant to plastic governance.
The findings demonstrate that systematic data collection across the value chain can improve resource efficiency, reduce plastic leakage, and support the integration of circular economy (CE) principles in seafood production. Moreover, this chapter emphasizes that the successful uptake of EPR depends on collaborative governance, knowledge-sharing partnerships, and the establishment of robust data infrastructures. By addressing existing knowledge gaps and fostering coordinated stakeholder engagement, this chapter contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable and circular management of plastic materials in the fishing and aquaculture sectors in Norway.
