Farmed fish breeding pioneer dies at 92
Professor Trygve Gjedrem, a pioneer of international aquaculture genetics, has died at the age of 92, Fish Farming Expert’s Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no, reports.
As director of Akvaforsk (today part of aquaculture research institute Nofima) in the period 1971-89, Gjedrem was a strong driving force in the development of the Norwegian aquaculture industry and in particular the milestone establishment of the national breeding programmes for salmon and trout, the first for farmed fish worldwide.
He had a strong international commitment to similar work with farmed species such as tilapia, carp and marine shrimp. In this way, Gjedrem also played a very central role in developing a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture production globally.
Textbooks still used
Gjedrem also played a major role in terms of research. His list of publications is long, and he is recognised as one of the world’s most influential researchers in his field. His textbooks are still used in teaching all over the world.
When he was 88 years old, he closed the office door at Nofima for the last time. After that and before the Covid shutdown made it impossible, he often stopped by Nofima to be updated on the latest from the research. Gjedrem had a burning commitment to the subject until recently.
Gjedrem received a number of honours from home and abroad for his great efforts and was an honorary member of both European and World Aquaculture Societies.
A warm human being
“Trygve will be missed. Both as a professional and as the warm fellow human being he was. He touched many around the world. He showed a genuine interest in everyone around him and paid the same attention to students as to academic authorities,” wrote the authors of an obituary in Kyst.no.
“We light peace over Trygve Gjedrem's good memory.”
Report adapted from an obituary written by Øyvind Fylling Jensen, Anna Sonesson, Ingrid Olesen, Bjarne Gjerde, Hans Bentsen and Morten Rye.
