Adapting to Keep Food on Your Plate: COVID-19 as a Lens for Crisis Management in the Seafood Industry

The Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture industry exports seafood globally and is very important for many coastal communities. This study explores seafood industry actor perceptions of the government’s strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 26 people were conducted. Based on the interviews, workshops, and document analysis, a timeline that illustrates the key measures and strategies introduced at various stages of the pandemic, and how seafood industry actors perceived them is presented. The findings show that the seafood industry’s classification as “critical to society” was vital, allowing production to continue with strict infection control measures. Furthermore, collaboration among authorities and industry played a crucial role in crisis management. However, the results also show differences between sectors. Processing plants in demersal fisheries were most vulnerable to closed borders, as they rely heavily on foreign workers. Adaption to COVID-19 in terms of innovations in products and markets was seen as signs of flexibility in the industry. The study provides valuable knowledge and lessons to be learned in case of future crisis, showing examples of resilient crisis management capabilities in the seafood industry.