Abstract:
This dissertation consists of an introduction to economic and management issues in salmon aquaculture plus five essays where more specific issues are analyzed in greater dept. Essay [1] deals with environmental issues connected to aquaculture. It is argued that while the industry still creates environmental problems, many of them have been resolved due to the relationship between economic impact and productivity. Essay [2] examines cost structure in the salmon farming industry focusing on the possibility to substitute between inputs. Results from different economic specifications provide evidence for limited or zero substitution possibilities in salmon production. Essay [3] studies prices for different sizes of salmon. Findings indicate that relative prices between different size fish vary over the year. Consequences for optimal rotation decisions and aggregation are discussed. Essay [IV] examines the possibilities to forecast weekly producer prices for salmon by the use of six easy applicable procedures. Essay [V] presents a model attempting to solve the rotation problem in fish farming.

Key words: Micro economics, aquaculture production, time series, market prices.

The dissertation was passed on to the committee for evaluation in September 2001, and sucessfully defended on March 1, 2002. Professor Ole Gjølberg was the advisor for this dissertation.

Atle Guttormsen was born in Oslo in 1972. He holds a Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the Agricultural University of Norway (1995), and a Master of Science in Finance from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (1998). He currently works as a research fellow working at the Dept. of Economics & Social Sciences, Agricultural University of Norway.