Automatic Catch Weighing Systems for Norwegian Seafood Traceability Compliance

Food processing technology provider JBT Marel has collaborated directly with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries to introduce the AXIN Fish Receiving Process Solution across Norway's seafood receiving facilities. The specialized intake software automates catch data registration and certified weighing verification to ensure commercial fish processors comply with national traceability mandates.

Regulatory Framework and Traceability Mandates
The Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries established updated landing requirements to enhance supply chain transparency and eliminate catch reporting discrepancies. The statutory framework mandates that facilities receiving wild-caught pelagic fish implement certified automatic weighing systems (AWS) and automatic scales by January 1, 2027, followed by whitefish operators on January 1, 2028.

Under these technical rules, operators must record certified catch measurements and transmit raw data electronically to regulatory bodies at landing. Compliance requires that every recorded weight be linked deterministically to landing coordinates, vessel details, species classification, and specific receiving timestamps, while retaining all event logs for a five-year inspection period.

System Integration and Automated Data Architecture
The AXIN Fish Receiving Process Solution interfaces directly with registered industrial scales, such as JBT Marel’s M2400 weighing terminals, to eliminate manual data entry errors. When a fishing vessel unloads, intake personnel register the lot details through the software interface, which validates mandatory parameters, size distributions, and delivery lot associations before confirming the intake.

The software platform functions as an automated data bridge between hardware sensors, sales organizations, and government oversight networks. It parses weighing data, matches weights to vessel identifiers, generates delivery notes for auction ticketing systems, and transmits structured XML or API payloads directly to the Directorate of Fisheries. Built-in verification logic identifies transmission anomalies, allowing operators to rectify and resubmit erroneous intake entries within an auditable ledger.

Industrial Implementation Across Pelagic and Whitefish Plants
Deploying standardized digital receiving systems allows seafood processors to adapt existing intake lines without disrupting offloading schedules. The integration between JBT Marel’s weighing hardware and regulatory interfaces establishes an unbroken audit trail from harbor discharge to commercial processing.

By formalizing automated data capture prior to the 2027 pelagic deadline and 2028 whitefish deadline, the cooperative platform standardizes intake operations across diverse landing ports. The resulting digital infrastructure gives regulatory authorities verified visibility into landed volumes while providing processing plants with reliable inventory datasets for downstream distribution.

Edited by Natania Lyngdoh, Induportals editor, with AI assistance.

www.jbtmarel.com