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Beneath hills covered by forests the Nidelva river twists its way through Trondheim. On its way the river makes a natural divide between the compact city centre and the green, historical sites surrounding it. Nidelva river empties into the beautiful Trondheim Fjord – and we follow the river upstream from the mouth up through the city:

The pier
The first thing you notice at the mouth of the river is the same sight that thousands of tourists have set eyes on every year – Munkholmen (1). This old monastery, fortification and state prison is a museum today, and it has become a favourite destination for both tourists and locals. You can enjoy quiet hours on the grass, on the beach – or have a tour of the island full of historical information.  Tripps Båtservice runs a frequent ferry service from Ravnkloa, the city centre for fish trade, and organizes sightseeing tours on the Nidelva river.

Where Nidelva meets the fjord you will find the newest developed part of Trondheim – Brattøra. In this port district the famous northbound and southbound coastal steamers (Hurtigruta) meet every day. Why not enjoy your breakfast on one of the steamers?

Close by you will find Clarion Hotel & Congress (2) – ), the largest conference hotel in Scandinavia, conveniently located next to Norway’s largest indoor bath and swimming pool -  Pirbadet (3).

Rockheim (4), is the national museum for popular music in Norway, and  SINTEFs Sealab (5) is just close by. This part of town is still developing fast, and it is just a short walk from Skansen, Aqua Nor’s outdoor area, which is where you will find exhibits in their right element: water.

“Midtby’n” – The City Centre
The area the locals call Midtbyen is the area surrounded by the Nidelven river and the area is regarded as the city centre. Along the banks of the river you will find the old and popular wooden houses of Bakklandet (6), packed with quaint little shops, cosy cafés with local food and the popular bicycle lift «Trampe», which makes the passage up the steep hill to Kristiansten Festning (7) (the fort) shorter and simpler.

One of Norway’s national treasures is very close to Bakklandet, just across the river. The almost one thousand year old cathedral  Nidarosdomen (8), where St.Olav is buried, is located next to Marinen (9) and Erkebispegården (10). The latter is the home of Norway’s national regalier – the Royal Crown and sceptre – and a host of other national treasures.  Marinen is a popular outdoor area, and on the day that Aqua Nor 2013 closes, the music festival Pstereo (9) will be held here. Last year over 24,000 people attended the pop & rock festival.

Technology City
South of the Marinen you will find the The Norwegian Science and Technology University. By the river and the bridge is located the Student Organization Studentersamfundet (11), SINTEF, while the University itself is perched on the hill behind.  The university campus stretches along the hills all the way to Trondheim’s football stadium, Lerkendal. The 18th of August this year the traditional match between the local team, Rosenborg, and the Oslo team Vålerenga takes place here. Almost 20 000 people usually gather to attend these games, and participating can be a good part of an extended weekend after Aqua Nor 2013.

The artists’ town
Close to Marinen, the Nidaros Cathedral, and the Student Organization the Elgeseter Bridge leads you directly into Mid Town. The many shopping centres and pedestrian shopping malls contain many international chains – but also small local shops. Here is something for everybody. In Midtbyen you will also find galleries and museums. Nordenfjeldske kunstindustrimuseum (industrial arts museum), Trondheim Kunstmuseum (Trondheim Museum of the Arts), Trøndelag senter for Samtidskunst (Trøndelag Centre for Contemporary Art), Stiftsgården (the Royal residence in Trondheim) and Vitenskapsmuseet (National Science Museum) are examples of long established museums.  There are also smaller galleries such as Modern Art Gallery og Galleri Oluf.

Øya – “The Island”
If you continue along the Nidelva river beyond the Elgeseter Bridge, you will get to “Øya” (“The Island”), where Aqua Nor and Nor-Fishing are located. The city’s exhibition centre,Trondheim Spektrum – Trondheims grand hall, is the place where the city’s many sports clubs have their training and their matches. Here are also tennis halls and an outdoor field and track arena – and of course the Nor-Fishing and Aqua Nor exhibitions.

Getting there and back – and around
Trondheim has an excellent public transport system. Værnes Airport is 35 minutes by car or airport bus (flybussen), to the north-east of the city centre. There is a bus leaving for the airport every ten minutes. Trondheim Central Train Station lies next to Brattøra, just two minutes from the city centre. A tramway takes you from the centre up to Bymarka, the nature areas surrounding Trondheim. City buses run continuously, day and night.

Getting an overview
In connection with Aqua Nor a number of happenings and events are organized, and you can find more information about these on our web page. Also, you should download the «Trondheimsappen» for your smartphone (available for both iPhone and Android). This will give you information about restaurants, nightlife, sightseeing, shopping, hotels and more.

Enjoy your stay!

Mari Sølsnes works at Via Egencia Trøndelag. She has worked closely with both Aqua Nor and Nor-Fishing, as well as being deeply involved with the development of the new booking solution.

CEO of the Nor-Fishing Foundation, Ola Eriksen, believes the new booking system will increase the overall impression of the exhibition.

Via Egencia Trøndelag has been responsible for hotel bookings during Aqua Nor for over 30 years. Now they have developed a new system that facilitates a more informative, simpler and more efficient hotel booking procedure. By using a net-based form, exhibitors and visitors can book hotel rooms for all their personnel going to the exhibition, compare prices for the various hotels and see which hotels have available rooms for specific periods.

Click here to access the new booking site - Are you an exhibitor and don’t have your booking code? Contact Via Egencia on phone number +47 73 80 77 20 or by e-mail: aquanor.trondheim@viaegencia.com 

«The new system gives us at Via Egencia as well as exhibitors and visitors a better overview of the situation and makes booking a hotel a simple matter. Anybody visiting Aqua Nor can now book as many rooms as they wish, regardless of whether it is a single room or an “en bloc” booking for dozens of people,” explains Mari Sølsnes at Via Egencia Trøndelag.

Until this year, Via Egencia has used as system which has existed for as long as Aqua Nor itself. The new booking system bring Aqua Nor and the fisheries exhibition Nor-Fishing into a new age. Director of the Nor-Fishing Foundation, Ola Eriksen, is quite enthusiastic about one of the suppliers to the exhibition having upgraded their services. “A net-based booking system improves the overall image of the exhibition. Although this is the first year that we will be using this system, we expect good results. The system has been tested for other large events, and therefore we are quite confident that it will be a success,” Eriksen says.

The new system has been developed over a period of several years, and will make the booking procedure easier for both Via Egencia and for the traveller. “Earlier we have experienced some delays in confirming bookings during periods when very many are booking rooms for the same period. Now it is the traveller him- or herself who is in control, and since it is a net-based system, we do not have to worry about delays,” adds Sølsnes.

Sølsnes explains that some have experienced the hotel booking process as frustrating in previous years, but this will now be easier. “Everybody will now have full information about available rooms, prices and availability for specific periods.”

Around 350 delegates from over 30 countries are expected to take part in the conference. “The participants are people from the industry, most of them representing large companies or governments. It is essential that we show our presence to these important representatives, if we are to maintain the great interest and appeal we have accumulated over the years,” Eriksen comments.

Representatives from the Nor-Fishing foundation travel to carefully chosen exhibitions and conferences every year to market both the fisheries- and aqua culture industry, as well as the exhibitions in Trondheim.
As recently announced, The Aquaculture Communications Group will do much of the same work in America on behalf of Aqua Nor.

You’ll find more information about the conference on their website

The Nor-Fishing Innovation Award 2013 – For development within the aquaculture
industry.

The Nor-Fishing Foundation hands out an Innovation Award at the Aqua Nor and Nor-
Fishing exhibitions in Trondheim every year. The award consists of NOK 100,000 and a
framed print.

The prize is awarded to a product, process or other activity that creates innovation,
efficiency, securing plant and production, environment and quality in the aquaculture
industry. It is also important that the winning product or procedure will contribute to
improved profitability for the industry and for the supplier.

The winners of the previous Innovation Award, Flatesund Engineering, accepted the award during last year’s ceremony.

Both Norwegian and foreign suppliers of equipment and technology, people in the
aquaculture industry, processing industry and others can apply for the award. Applicants are
not required to be exhibitors at Aqua Nor 2013. The product and procedure entered into the
competition must have been developed in the period after the last Aqua Nor exhibition in
2011.

It is possible for anybody to nominate candidates for the award. Those nominated will be
contacted by us and will, if they wish to remain a candidate, submit documentation in
accordance with the general requirements below.

Applications must include:

1. The applicant’s name/company name, address, phone number, e-mail address,
web address and contact person.
2. A brief description of the company’s or the applicant’s business activities.
3. A description and the best documentation possible of the project, product or
process entered. In the application the innovation aspects of this should be
especially explained.
4. Documentation of the effects/results of the project/product/process.

Applications should be addressed to:

mailbox@nor-fishing.no or

The Nor-Fishing Foundation
Klostergt. 90
7030 TRONDHEIM

Norway

Please mark the envelope or e-mail: “The AQUA NOR Innovation Award 2013”

Application deadline: 1st of June 2013

Members of the Jury:

Kjell Maroni

Marine zoologist. Long and broad experience from aquaculture and
optimalization of aquaculture production. Many years experience
from the industry’s associations and organizations. Presently
working for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Fund (FHF).

Oddvar Staulen

His background is from international business development, export
marketing and fisheries economics. Experience as a fisherman of
skipper and from the processing industry. At present Senior Advisor
at Innovation Norway Nordland.

Jan Birger Jørgensen

Deputy Secretary General of the Norwegian Fishermen’s
Association. Experienced fisherman educated at the Fisheries
College of the University of Tromsø. Project manager at FTFI (vessel
section). Worked with resource management, quotas and
regulations at the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs.

The Jury will announce 3 finalists no later than the 30th of June. Shortly before Aqua Nor
2013 the Jury and members of the Board of the Nor-Fishing Foundation will make a final
decision on the winner. The 2013 Innovation Award will be presented at Aqua Nor 2013.

We wish all applicants good luck!

The Nor-Fishing Foundation
Liv Holmefjord
Chairperson

Aqua Nor is today the largest aquaculture technology exhibition in the world, and has been held in Trondheim, Norway, every other years since 1979. It is expected that about 500 – 550 exhibitors from more than 30 countries will participate in this year’s exhibition, which is held 13 – 16 August 2013. Between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors from over 60 countries are expected to attend the event.

“Modern North American cold-water aquaculture is to a large extent built on the science and technology developed for salmon farming in Norway,” comments Tor-Eddie Fossbakk, senior partner in ACG. “But over the years, the exhibition has developed into a much more comprehensive show that also focuses on other species and associated technologies. Consequently, it is very important for operators and investors from North America to attend this event to see new technologies and practices that they can adapt to their operations here. Aqua Nor is not ‘just a salmon farmers event’, it is a global aquaculture business, science and technology event.”

ACG is renowned for bringing ideas, people, and solutions together to enable innovation and successful business development. It is now recruiting participants for a number of tour options associated with the Aqua Nor event, for details please visit www.aquacomgroup.com and go to Tours or click here to download the Aqua Nor Tour brochure.

ACG is also preparing half-day & full-day tours for Friday and Saturday, 16 & 17 August, to enable show participants to visit facilities in the Trondheim area; information will be provided on the Aqua Nor website.
ACG will be at Aquaculture 2013 in Nashville, USA on 21-25 February 2013 (booth # 521) and at the International Boston Seafood Show on 10-12 March 2013 (booth # 1445) to hand out information and talk to delegates about Aqua Nor and the many planned activities.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Erik Hempel, Director of Communications, The Nor-Fishing Foundation.
Tel.: +47 9084 1124. E-mail: erik.hempel@hempelco.com

Mr. Tor-Eddie Fossbakk, Senior Partner, Aquaculture Communications Group.
Tel.: +1 248 305 9339. E-mail: tor-eddie@aquacomgroup.com

Mr. Dave Conley, Senior Partner, Aquaculture Communications Group.
Tel: +1 613 294 3078. E-mail: dave@aquacomgroup.com

The published maps of the exhibition halls will be updated continuously and gives a total overview of Halls A through G, plus the outdoors areas and the main entrance hall.

Already before Christmas 2012 Project Manager Kari Steinsbø had to remind regular exhibitors to make sure to book their stands early. – I don’t think we have ever had so many bookings this early, she said referring to Aqua Nor 2013.

You’ll find the maps of the exhibition halls here.

“Because of the great and early interest, we remind potential exhibitors that it is important to book space as soon as possible. We will be posting maps of the exhibition area and the halls on our web site (www.nor-fishing.no) in late January. “

Many exhibitors and organizations hold seminars, mini conferences and presentations during Aqua Nor, and most organizers want to hold their event on the premises. “We have some meeting rooms and conference halls on the grounds, but it is limited. Therefore: book early!” says Steinsbø. She also encourages Norwegian organizers to hold their seminars in English, since many of the foreign visitors have shown great interest in these professional events in the past.

Steinsbø also reminds potential visitors that the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) will be holding their annual conference, “aquaculture Europe ‘13” in Trondheim on 09 – 12 August 2013, just before the Aqua Nor exhibition, which opens on the 13th of August.

Although the hotel situation in Trondheim has improved greatly over the past three or four years, it is still important to book hotel space early to get what you want. The travel bureau Via Travel is responsible for hotel bookings.

Via Travel can be reached by phone +47 7380 7720, or by e-mail meet.trd@viatravel.no.

NB: Please note that the Nor-Fishing Foundation office will be closed during Christmas, from 22nd December until the 2nd of January.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you at Aqua Nor 2013!

Best regards from all of us at the Nor-Fishing Foundation

Altogether a total of 14,476 visitors from 50 different nations came to the exhibition. This was just slightly below the number in 2010, when 14,613 visitors were present. The number of exhibitors amounted to 480, of which 89 came from outside Norway. In all, 20 exhibitor nations were represented.

Comments from exhibitors and visitors indicate that most are very satisfied with this year’s exhibition, also with the commercial outcome. A number of contracts were signed during the show, and new contacts were established. The exhibitors expressed satisfaction with the show, and especially with the quality of the visitors.

A number of mini-conferences and seminars were organized parallell with the exhibition. The most talked about of them was organized by the Nor-Fishing Foundation, SINTEF and the Technical University of Norway (NTNU), focusing on “Future prospects for fisheries”. At this seminar the brand new report on “Value creation based on a productive ocean in 2050” was presented, and some very optimistic views of the future were included in this presentation. The report was the product of a working group established by the Royal Norwegian Science Society and Norwegian Technical Science Academy.

A new feature in this year’s exhibition was the award presented to the «Best stand». The Nor-Fishing Foundation wished to show its regard for all the time and effort that goes into planning and building the stands at Nor-Fishing, and awarded a diploma for the best stand to the Sogn and Fjordane County stand, which included a number of companies and institutions. The award was given according to criteria such as visibility, attractiveness and information sharing.

The weather during Nor-Fishing 2012 was exceptionally good, and this brought many visitors to the outdoor restaurant, where the Speakers Corner debates took place. The topics debated were very current, and the debates at times got hot. Moderator Jan-Erik Indrestrand of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association gave a new dimension to this traditional event by maneuvering the debates elegantly through murky waters.

As a sign os the success of Nor-Fishing 2012, it is noted that a number of this year’s exhibitors have already signed up for Aqua Nor 2013 and Nor-Fishing 2014.

The handing over of the furniture was done on the last day of Nor-Fishing, just as the exhibition was closing its doors and people started to dismantle the stands. Kjell Arne Falla and Berit Kristiansen of the Salvation Army in Trondheim received the furniture on behalf of their organization . The furniture was immediately taken to the Salvation Army quarters in Trondheim.

Perhaps an idea for others who come from far away?

Silje Sjursen and Sissel Fagerbakke of the Austevoll Business Association handing over their stand furniture to Salvation Army officer Kjell Arne Falla on the last day ot Nor-Fishing 2012.