Selstad’s new service station in Sørreisa in Northen Norway has been warmly welcomed after the doors opened in 2023. The original plan was to create a service station for repairing fish farming cages and other equipment for the aquaculture industry:
“During the construction process, we received several requests for service of seines, delivery and reception of seine ropes, and seine storage in Sørreisa. Recognizing the rising demands from both fish farmers and fishermen, we aimed higher to accommodate these needs. Development often goes hand in hand, and one of the reasons why we invest heavily in the service of Danish seines in Sørreisa is the relation to the fishing boat company Oddvar Nes AS, says Olav Alexander Grande, Area manager in Selstad.
Beneficial for both fleet and community
Oddvar Nes AS is a locally owned fishing boat company that is headquartered in Botnhamn on Senja in Northern Norway and also has a base in Bulandet in Western Norway. The company has made several major investments in recent years and currently operates four coastal vessels: Trondskjær, Leif Helge, Lise Beate (formerly Vesterhav) and Senjatind. The vessels fish for whitefish with Danish seines and nets, and for saithe, herring, capelin, and mackerel with Purse seines.
– Oddvar Nes AS has bought seine ropes, purse seines and twine from us in Selstad, and we have been helping out with reparations at their facility. We are grateful to have them as customers.
Marius Berntsen is the general manager of Oddvar Nes AS, company with 40 full-time equivalents. He says that shopping locally and contributing to local value creation is important for them:
“Creating values in our community is in our soul. We live and drift by the ocean, where we, together with our neighbors, almost cling to the shore. All the activity that we create in our region is positive both for the fisheries, the locals and for the society overall. It is important to be able to live and thrive in these small societies.”
Berntsen says that the expansion with Selstad’s department in Sørreisa is without a doubt positive for the fishing fleet:
“We are very aware that Selstad has invested in our region with a branch in Senjahopen and now also in Sørreisa. It means a lot that Selstad is close by when we need something”.
Always on the look
Oddvar Nes AS’s operations are year-round, and the fisheries take place both near the coast and at sea, from the Barents Sea in the north to the North Sea in the south. Berntsen says that they are in a continuous process of further developing their four vessels.
“We are always looking for solutions that improve us further and for our skippers it is important to consult with another expert in the field. Selstad clearly has that expertise. We eager to test new solutions Selstad proposes to us, knowing they’re created by a team with tons of experience. Having the Selstad team nearby is incredibly helpful, Berntsen concludes.
olav.grande@selstad.no
+47 57 85 25 00