Torghatten Aqua
We are Torghatten Aqua. We live by and with the sea.
We are an investment and development company with roots on the Helgeland coast. We develop profitable and sustainable businesses in the maritime industries.
Torghatten Aqua AS is an investment and development company with roots on the Helgeland coast. We develop profitable and sustainable businesses in the marine industries.
Torghatten Aqua is linked to the sea and the values we can create from the resources it provides. The Group consists of dedicated and competent employees who have contributed greatly to developing the business within sustainable aquaculture, research and development, tourism and blue education. In order for a company like this to develop, it also needs expertise, not just capital. That's why around 500 pupils, students and course participants are trained at educational centres on Campus BLÅ at Toft, outside Brønnøysund.
At Toft, we have several businesses that work with the sea's resources and opportunities: We carry out research into sustainable aquaculture, we have a display facility for fish farming, fish farming operations - and a tourist facility with rorbu accommodation and a restaurant where we serve the end product of what we do, namely fish and seafood.
Torghatten Aqua carries with it a long tradition, which obliges us to always look for new opportunities offered by the sea. The Group consists of several companies, and we are constantly exploring the opportunities in the ocean industries, both through traditional aquaculture, but also new methods both at sea and on land and with new species.
We see great opportunities for increased value creation and increased employment in the years to come. Many people point to the seafood industry when the petroleum industry declines and the country needs new income and new jobs. At Torghatten Aqua, we take this task seriously and hope more people will join us on this journey.
Almost 100 years ago, in 1924, Paula and Birger Ebbesen established Assortert Handelsforretning with fish reception and processing in their own newly built premises at Toft. The family business has been continued and is now run by the third and fourth generation descendants of Paula and Birger.
In 1997, the company Torgnes AS saw the light of day when Paul Birger and Arnfinn Torgnes combined their ownership interests in one company. This was part of the process of transforming the local family-owned Torgnes fiskefarm AS, which had around 20 employees, into Fjord Seafood ASA with global operations, 4,000 employees and an annual turnover of NOK 4 billion.
Fjord Seafood ASA was acquired by John Fredriksen in 2006 and merged with Marine Harvest and Panfish, and is today one of the main pillars of the world's largest aquaculture company, MOWI.
In 2005, Torgnes AS became the main shareholder in Fjord Marin ASA, which was a conglomerate of around 10 different business areas. The business was restructured to focus on cod farming in Norway and seabass/seabream farming in the Mediterranean. This business was discontinued and sold. Breeding work with farmed cod has continued under the auspices of Nofima and others, and through its subsidiary Codfarm AS, Torgnes AS has conducted new and successful experiments with cod farming in recent years and is now applying for licences for the commercial farming of cod.
In 2006, Torgnes AS became the largest shareholder in Norsk Havbrukssenter AS and the majority shareholder in the company from 2012. The company was originally specialised as one of the country's first aquaculture display facilities, but from 2016 the activity was further developed to include commercial fish farming and research and development (R&D) in aquaculture. The company also has a tourism initiative with a restaurant and rorbu accommodation, and these activities were organised as separate wholly owned subsidiaries.
Research and development has been a very important part of the company's marine fish farming programme. R&D activities continued with the main emphasis on the development of sustainable solutions for farming in closed and semi-closed cages. Firstly through the EU project Closed Fish Cage, and then through Aquaculture Innovation AS, which was actively responsible for the development and testing of Akva Design's technology, which is currently used by AkvaFuture AS. Aquaculture Innovation AS was taken over by 100 % in 2016.
Since the establishment of land-based salmon farms in Norway was authorised in 2016, the company has invested considerable resources in this area through Aquaculture Innovation AS. The company has three projects with solid progress. In Askvoll municipality, Bulandet Miljøfisk AS, with Aquaculture Innovation as the largest shareholder, has permits in place and the pilot plant will be completed in Q1 2022. In Brønnøy municipality, Helgeland Miljøfisk AS is planning and designing a larger facility, which is now in the zoning plan phase. There are also specific plans to establish a larger hatchery in Vevelstad municipality. Torgnes AS also has investments in other land-based fish farming companies, including the listed company Gigante Salmon AS.
In 2017, a partnership was entered into with school entrepreneur Robert Jørgensen to develop an educational programme in blue industries through the company Campus BLÅ AS. The Norwegian Aquaculture Centre was a minority shareholder at the start, but in 2020 the companies were merged to form Campus BLÅ Norsk Havbrukssenter AS, and Robert Jørgensen became an owner of Torgnes AS through his company Intera. Campus BLÅ AS has developed very quickly and positively and currently operates an upper secondary school in aquaculture and fishing/catching, a vocational school in aquaculture and extensive course and certification activities in blue industries. Permission has also been applied for to establish a folk high school, which will have common subjects with an emphasis on the UN's sustainable development goals and value creation with courses in sustainable management and environmental protection, coastal tourism, restaurant and food culture, entrepreneurship, sports and outdoor life.
In addition to its investments in aquaculture-related activities, Torgnes AS has made significant investments in other companies: The largest of these is a very profitable investment in Torghatten ASA. These investments took place largely between 1998 and 2000, and for several years Torgnes AS was one of Torghatten's largest shareholders and also chaired the board during an expansive period for the Torghatten Group. In 2021, the shares in Torghatten ASA were sold to EQT, which made a bid for the entire company. Other major investments have been Brønnøy Fiskeriselskap AS (44 %), Norsk Helseinformatikk AS (30 %), and Torgnes AS currently also has a significant investment in the listed company FRØY AS.
In the autumn of 2021, the company changed its name to Torghatten Aqua, opened up the ownership structure and invited employees to become shareholders. In the new year of 2023, 800 new shareholders joined through a record-breaking share issue at Folkeinvest of approximately NOK 80 million, where many of the new shareholders were local and regional individuals and companies. In February 2024, Nova Sea joined the team both as a major shareholder and an important partner.
Chairman of the board
Paul Birger Torgnes
Deputy chairman
Arnfinn Torgnes
Board member
Board member
Board member
Board member
Board member
Executive chairman of the board
+47 913 68 915
Frode.blakstad@inaq.no
Master in Management, BSc Maths Technology
Chairman of the Board of INAQ and several aquaculture companies
Extensive experience in aquaculture
Knut Idar Torgnes
CFO / Finance Manager / Site Manager Toft
+47 959 96 581
knut.idar@havbrukssenter.no
Master in Accounting and Auditing, BI Norwegian Business School
2021 - : Chief Financial Officer / Site Manager Toft Torghatten Aqua AS
2020 - 2021: General Manager Campus BLÅ Norwegian Aquaculture Centre AS
2018 - 2020: General Manager Norsk Havbrukssenter Oppdrett AS
2011 - 2018: Audit Deloitte
Director of investor relations (IR) and communication
+47 916 00 217
stig.tore.laugen@torghattenaqua.no
Journalism, Oslo University College, and Political Science, University of Oslo.
2024: Director of Investor Relations (IR) and Communications, Torghatten Aqua
2019-2024: Executive Vice President Communication and Corporate Social Responsibility, TrønderEnergi/ Communications Director, Aneo
2016-2019: Communications Director, BN Bank
2008-2015: Journalist, Dagens Næringsliv
General Manager Norwegian Aquaculture Centre AS
+47 979 55 507
conny@havbrukssenter.no
Hotel and restaurant programme, Haraldsboskolen Falun Sweden
2022 - : General Manager Norwegian Aquaculture Centre AS
2000 - 2022: Management positions in tourism organisations
Sten Roald Lorentzen
Managing Director Aquaculture Innovation AS
+47 911 99 321
sten.lorentzen@aquacultureinnovation.no
Vocational and technical education
2021 - : Managing Director Aquaculture Innovation AS
2015 - : Board positions in several aquaculture and supplier companies
2014-2021: Managing Director Akva group Land Based Norway
2008-2014: Various management positions in Momek Group.
General Manager, Vevelstad Settefisk AS
+ 47 915 19 194
knut.brathen@aquacultureinnovation.no
Master's degree in smolt farming at the Norwegian School of Fishery Science.
August 2023-: General Manager Vevelstad Settefisk
April 2020-August 2023: Head of breeding and genetics. Lerøy Seafood Group.
February 2014-April 2020: General Manager, Lerøy Aakvik.
May 2000-February 2014: Manager, cod, Fjord Marin and Skei Marinfisk.
Karl Johann Torgnes
General Manager Toft Brygge AS
+47 975 31 065
karl.johann@torgnes.no
Aquaculture at Nord University and pilot education from the Aviation School
2016 - : General Manager Toft Brygge AS
2006 - 2016: General Manager Torgnes Eiendomsutvikling AS
1998 - 2006: General Manager Egersund Helgeland AS
General Manager. Campus BLÅ AS
+47 928 10 707
chris.guldberg@campusbla.no
Broad educational background in economics, sustainability, marketing, communication, political science, history, management and digitalisation.
Chief Operating Officer of the listed company Norcod AS (14 months)
Chief Commercial Officer and Organisational Director of Norcod (10 months)
Director of sustainability, communication and marketing in the ICT company Norsk helsenett SF (2 years)
Director of Communication and Sustainability at the Norwegian Seafood Council AS (3 years)
Head of Communication and Brand at SINTEF (5.5 years)
Head of Investor Relations, PR and Marketing at the listed oil services company EMGS (5.5 years).
Toft Brygge 2016
Toft Brygge 2021
Norwegian