Anger over fish farms polluting new Lillebælt national park

Environmental groups have condemned the placement of three fish farms near Denmark’s newly designated marine national park in Lillebælt, warning that pollution does not respect boundaries drawn on a map.

The park, established just months ago alongside another in Øresund, is intended to prioritise nature. Yet one fish farm operates inside its borders, while two more sit just outside, collectively raising thousands of rainbow trout in pens.

Torben Kaas, chair of the Danish Anglers Association, said the farms’ annual nitrogen discharge of 47 tonnes—comparable to that of a mid-sized provincial town—flows directly into the protected area. “Nature doesn’t care about lines on a map. The pollution happens exactly where the vulnerable, precious nature is beneath the surface,” he told DR.

Lars Midtiby, director of the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, echoed the criticism, arguing that intensive production like fish farming is incompatible with the purpose of marine national parks. “The whole idea is to have areas where nature comes first. Clearly, that wasn’t the priority when these lines were drawn,” he said.

Midtiby noted that many Danish fish farms lack updated environmental permits and called for stricter oversight, ultimately advocating for their phase-out. Environment Minister Maria Reumert Gjerding (SF) acknowledged the issue, stating that current discharges of nitrogen, medicine residues, and other pollutants under outdated permits are “unacceptable.” She pledged to tighten regulations and review farm locations as part of the government’s plan for closer supervision.

René Christensen, director of industry group Danish Aquaculture, dismissed the concerns, citing strong water currents in Lillebælt that minimise environmental impact. He also pointed to a February email from former Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (S) reassuring the industry that the national park agreement would not alter existing aquaculture zones or conditions. Christensen said he remains confident the government will approach the issue “professionally, not emotionally.”