In the early 1990s, the Norwegian Seafood Federation (NSF) and the Norwegian Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Fiskeriforskning) entered into an agreement. One of the purposes of this agreement was to establish a better dialogue between industry and the Institute regarding the priority placed on research assignments, and to improve the communication of knowledge. An important underlying goal was to coordinate the work by obtaining the necessary finance for new projects both from government sources and through internal financing from industry. As an initial step in this work the position of Research Coordinator was created in NSF, towards which Fiskeriforskning contributed financially.
At this time Fiskeriforskning had completed or was working on a number of projects dealing with the improvement of yield and quality of saltfish. The studies included important factors across a wide spectrum, from catch methods and the handling of raw materials in the catch segment to the composition of different minerals in the salt. This research resulted in new knowledge which, when applied in an appropriate way in the industry, would mean a considerable improvement in profitability and competitive strength for saltfish producers. Much of the knowledge that was developed had little relevance for other forms of production. Hence both Fiskeriforskning and NSF determined that the communication of knowledge should be directed towards the saltfish producers. The conclusion was that all saltfish producers who were members of NSF were invited to become part of a network. At special membership meetings they would be informed directly by the researchers about newfound knowledge and how this could be applied. The initiative was very well received in the industry. The network, which was named the Saltfish Forum ("Saltfiskforum"), was established in 1994 and eventually had 41 member companies. (The network has subsequently been re-named the Bacalao Forum).
The NSF assumed the Secretariat function for the Forum. The costs for maintaining the Secretariat position and operating the network were covered by a participation fee from each of the member companies. During the start-up phase, the Research Council of Norway also granted a one-time sum. The individual member companies had to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses for participating in network meetings, but each company could participate with as many persons as they wished and found economically acceptable.
The first network meetings of the Saltfish Forum consisted entirely of dialogue meetings between researchers and persons representing the producers. The researchers gave an account of recent research results and presented recommendations for improving methods and procedures based on newfound knowledge. The producers on their side had clear ideas about which problems the researchers should first set to work on. One must assume that the recommendations an industry makes with regard to priority of research themes are determined based on the then prevailing effective technical/economical bottlenecks in production. In principle, following the producers’ advice should then also imply an approximate optimal use of research funds, at least in respect of the choice of themes for technological development in the short term.
In addition to the exchange of information and opinions between the researchers and industry, the exchange of experience between members was, of course, ascribed great importance. Furthermore, during network meetings members could develop personal and social relationships that could later lead to commercial and industrial policy collaboration to the benefit of all parties.
The Saltfish Forum became an immediate success. Salt- and clipfish of northeast Atlantic cod was a tradition-rich and tradition-tied product, where the knowledge was passed down from generation to generation over several hundred years. In Norway, very few scientific analyses and experiments had been done with an eye to a scientific description and understanding of the production process until Fiskeriforskning commenced the work sometime around 1990. It also became apparent that the producers, to a much greater extent than one might anticipate with regard to such a tradition-bound production process, were open to experiment with alternative production plans in accordance with researchers’ recommendations. Production managers and foremen were the usual participants at the first network meetings, which emphasized information about research results and communication. That these individuals really were motivated to pick up potentially applicable elements from research and prepared to utilize research results was well attested to by the fact that during or immediately following the presentation of particularly interesting results from a researcher, individuals would disappear from the meeting for a while. Upon closer investigation of the cause for such vanishing acts, it became apparent that individuals were leaving the meeting to telephone their companies and discuss immediate adjustments of the parameters for production that was already in process!
