9 Overall framework and measures for conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems in the management plan areas
Norway has a long tradition of taking a long-term approach to ocean resource management for the benefit of society as a whole. The basis for value creation from Norway’s ocean-based activities now and in the future depends on maintaining the value of Norway’s marine and coastal environment, safeguarding the oceans as a source of food and using ocean resources sustainably. In this white paper, the Government describes how it intends to continue and consolidate Norway’s integrated, ecosystem-based ocean management plan system.
This white paper brings together all three management plans for the first time. It includes a revised management plan for the Barents Sea–Lofoten area and updated management plans for the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea and Skagerrak. The management plans previously published for the separate areas have established an overall framework and measures for the conservation and sustainable use of marine ecosystems. The present white paper is based on current policy, and proposes certain new measures.
9.1 Oceans and climate change
Ocean management must take into account the increasing impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, while at the same time promoting a green transformation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
9.1.1 Adapting to climate change and a warmer ocean
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the oceans are entering a new state as a result of rising CO2 levels and global warming. This may lead to far-reaching impacts on marine ecosystems and living resources, including those in Norwegian waters, which in turn will affect ocean industries and coastal communities. Pressure on ecosystems may be further intensified by ocean acidification and oxygen loss, shrinking sea ice cover and human activity. Achieving sustainable management of Norway’s sea areas will require knowledge about how these factors interact and how the impacts can be limited through ocean management.
The Government will:
work to ensure climate-resilient management of living marine resources and marine biodiversity so that it is possible to maintain viable populations and ecosystem services as far as possible in a changing climate, and so as to safeguard natural carbon sinks;
monitor changes in the implications of climate change for marine ecosystems and ocean industries and use the management plans to report on status, trends and implemented and planned measures;
as part of work on the management plans, conduct a risk analysis for the management plan areas of direct and indirect effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and other relevant factors under different emission scenarios;
further develop the knowledge base for climate change adaptation in ocean industries and ocean-dependent sectors of society;
continue to monitor acidification and climate trends and the impacts on vulnerable calcifying organisms such as plankton and corals;
enhance knowledge of the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and how they interact with other pressures.
9.1.2 Green transformation in the ocean industries
Ocean management can play a significant part in the global transition to a low-emission future, a goal that Norway is also pursuing. Norway’s nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement has recently been updated and enhanced. The target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 % by 2030 compared with the 1990 level. It is also a Government target for Norway to be a low-emission society by 2050, where emissions have been reduced by 90–95 %. The Government’s strategy for green competitiveness, which was presented in 2018, links together industrial development and climate action. The Government will facilitate value creation by promoting the establishment of new green jobs and encouraging existing businesses to adapt in order to compete as climate policy becomes stricter and technology development proceeds rapidly.
Offshore wind, carbon capture and storage under the seabed, and green shipping are among the areas where Norway has much to offer and where sound ocean management can promote the green transition.
The Government will:
pursue its ambition of reducing emissions from domestic shipping and fishing vessels by half by 2030, and promote the deployment of zero- and low-emission solutions in all vessel categories;
promote further green growth and boost the competitiveness of the Norwegian maritime industry and facilitate an increase in exports of low- and zero-emission technology in the maritime sector;
continue work on carbon storage under the seabed in Norwegian waters as a climate change mitigation measure;
facilitate restructuring towards low-emission production of seafood;
facilitate economically viable offshore renewable energy production.
9.1.3 Strengthening the oceans’ capacity for carbon uptake
Marine ecosystems such as kelp forests, seaweed communities and eelgrass meadows absorb CO2 through photosynthesis, thus helping the ocean to absorb much of the CO2 emissions. These ecosystems comprise natural carbon sinks in the ocean and are sometimes called ‘blue forests’. They are also important for marine biodiversity and can protect the coastline against extreme weather events by moderating wave action.
The Government will:
work to maintain natural carbon sinks and safeguard marine biodiversity;
enhance knowledge about carbon fixation by marine plankton and marine vegetation types such as kelp forests, seaweed communities and eelgrass meadows, and apply this knowledge to assess potential restoration measures;
facilitate the development of new ocean industries such as environmentally friendly cultivation of seaweed and kelp as a measure for boosting carbon uptake.
9.2 Sustainable use, overall framework for activities and spatial management
The ocean industries are vital to employment and value creation in Norway, and the oceans provide livelihoods for many coastal communities. Norwegian waters contain rich oil and gas resources, which have played a key role in the country’s development. The oceans are also the basis for Norway’s large, sustainable seafood industry and its large maritime industry. Some of the country’s most innovative businesses, jobs and knowledge institutions have their origins in human settlement along the coast and use of the oceans. For the foreseeable future, the oceans will continue to be a vital basis for jobs, value creation and welfare throughout Norway.
The management plans are a tool for spatial management of Norway’s sea areas. Sound knowledge of these areas and marine ecosystems is an essential basis for finding a balance between conservation and sustainable use across sectors. Activities in each management plan area are regulated on the basis of existing legislation governing different sectors.
9.2.1 Sustainable, safe food production from the oceans
Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture management has evolved over many decades as new knowledge has developed, and Norway is one of the world’s leading coastal states in sustainable harvesting and use of the oceans. This development will continue. Monitoring results indicate that concentrations of contaminants are generally below the maximum permitted levels for food safety, but frequent monitoring is needed.
The Government will:
review the possibility of sustainable harvesting of new species, particularly species lower in the food chain;
build up knowledge about the impacts on ecosystems of harvesting new species and harvesting at lower trophic levels for all Norwegian sea areas;
strengthen the knowledge base for the management and sustainable harvesting of snow crab in the Barents Sea.
continue to collect data on bycatches and assess whether further measures are needed to reduce bycatches of marine mammals in fisheries;
intensify efforts to prevent and expose fisheries crime;
support measures and initiatives to improve utilisation of resources and reduce food waste;
maintain good monitoring systems for documenting healthy and safe seafood.
9.2.2 Offshore aquaculture
Offshore aquaculture will use facilities that can be sited farther from shore than is normal at present. These facilities may be self-propelled or be designed to be towed between locations or to be static, and will produce substantially more than the capacity of current facilities. The environmental problems encountered are expected to be the same as those associated with coastal aquaculture activities, but new issues may also arise. The scale of environmental problems will also depend on whether facilities are fixed or mobile, and whether they use open cages or closed systems.
The Government will:
develop a legal framework for offshore aquaculture that will facilitate further growth in the aquaculture sector and promote value creation within an environmentally sustainable framework;
facilitate the availability of adequate knowledge about the vulnerability of biodiversity to the impacts of offshore aquaculture.
9.2.3 Safe, environmentally friendly maritime transport
Maritime activities in Norwegian waters are extensive and varied. The volume of both freight and passenger transport has increased over time, reflected by an increase in shipping. Maritime transport projections indicate that by 2040, distance sailed will increase by about 40 % from the 2013 level.
Maritime transport comprises many shipping segments, a number of which have lower emissions than alternative modes of transport.
Other segments result in substantial emissions to air of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx), which have a negative impact on local air quality. From 1 March 2019, Norway introduced stricter requirements for releases to air and water from ships, largely specifically relating to cruise traffic in the West Norwegian Fjords World Heritage Site.
Maritime safety in Norwegian waters is generally high, and the annual number of accidents has been reduced in recent years.
The Government will:
work to maintain and strengthen the high level of safety in maritime transport;
consider whether to extend the environmental requirements for shipping in the West Norwegian Fjords World Heritage Site to other fjords in Norway;
consider whether to extend the current prohibition against carrying heavy bunker oil in the protected areas around Svalbard and introduce a general prohibition in the territorial waters around Svalbard;
consider whether to introduce size restrictions for ships in the protected areas around Svalbard;
consider whether to impose stricter requirements relating to discharges of sewage from ships in Norwegian waters;
consider new measures to prevent the spread of alien organisms through hull fouling and review the introduction of requirements based on IMO’s regulatory framework.
9.2.4 Framework for petroleum activities in the management plan areas
Each of the ocean management plans sets out a framework for petroleum activities in specific geographical areas. The management plans provide a good basis for sound resource management and a predictable regulatory framework for the oil and gas industry. In the light of new knowledge about vulnerable species and habitats and the environmental impacts of oil and gas activities, parts of the framework from the previous management plans have been revised. Some geographical areas, such as the polar front, are no longer specified in the framework for petroleum activities now that more is known about environmental conditions. Certain adjustments have been made to ensure coherence across the management plan areas. The framework for each of the management plan areas is shown in Figures 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3, and the information is also available through the marine spatial management tool on the BarentsWatch portal, https://kart.barentswatch.no/arealverktoy.
The framework for specific geographical areas will be used as a basis in the licensing rounds. Unless otherwise specified, the framework set out below will apply until any changes are made when the management plans are updated.
Framework for petroleum activities that applies to all the management plan areas
The Government will use the following framework as a basis for petroleum activities in all the management plan areas:
In connection with numbered licensing rounds, and when licences are issued through the system of awards in predefined areas (APA), the authorities will continue to hold public consultations and take into account all available new knowledge about the effects of produced water and drill cuttings and other impacts on the environment and living marine resources;
New production licences must include requirements for any necessary measures to ensure that the coral reefs and other vulnerable benthic fauna are not damaged by petroleum activities. Operators must be prepared to meet special requirements in order to avoid direct physical damage to the reefs from bottom gear and anchor chains, sediment deposition from drill cuttings and pollution from produced water;
Continue efforts and follow-up to achieve the zero-discharge target for releases of hazardous substances to the sea from petroleum activities;
Seek to reduce uncertainty as regards acoustic disturbance and other possible negative impacts of seismic surveys on marine life;
Establish stricter requirements for activities in vulnerable areas to avoid damage (in line with the risk-based approach of the health, safety and working environment legislation).
Framework for petroleum activities in the Barents Sea–Lofoten area
The Government will use the following framework as a basis for petroleum activities in the Barents Sea–Lofoten area:
Figure 9.1 Framework for petroleum activities in the Barents Sea–Lofoten area.
Source Norwegian Environment Agency/Marine spatial management tool
Coastal waters off Troms and Finnmark county to the Russian border
No petroleum activities will be initiated within a zone stretching 35 km outwards from the baseline from the Troms II petroleum province along the coast to the Russian border.
In a zone stretching between 35 km and 100 km outwards from the baseline, no exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations will be permitted in the period 1 March–31 August. This will be reviewed when the delimitation of the particularly valuable and vulnerable area ‘coastal waters, Tromsøflaket to the Russian border’ has been completed.
Tromsøflaket bank area
In coastal waters of the Tromsøflaket, restrictions apply corresponding to those set out in the framework for the area ‘coastal waters, Troms and Finnmark county to the Russian border’.
No exploration drilling will be permitted in oil-bearing formations on the Tromsøflaket outside 65 km from the baseline in the period 1 March–31 August.
Eggakanten North
There is a general principle that new production licences must include requirements for surveys to identify any coral reefs or other valuable benthic communities that may be affected by petroleum activities and ensure that they are not damaged. This will be particularly strictly applied in the Eggakanten North area. Special conditions may be included in licences in vulnerable areas to avoid damage.
The marginal ice zone
No new petroleum activities will be initiated in areas where sea ice is found on 15 % of the days in April, based on sea ice extent data for the 30-year period 1988–2017. This will apply until any changes are made when the management plans are updated, in 2024 at the earliest.
Bjørnøya
No new petroleum activities will be initiated within a 65-km zone around Bjørnøya.
In a zone stretching from 65 km to 100 km outwards from the baseline around Bjørnøya, no exploration drilling will be permitted in oil-bearing formations in the period 1 April–31 August.
Nordland IV (unopened part), Nordland V (unopened part), Nordland VI (open part), Nordland VI (unopened part), Nordland VII and Troms II
The waters off the Lofoten and Vesterålen Islands and Senja will not be opened for petroleum activities and no impact assessments under the Petroleum Act will be carried out in the period 2017–2021.
Other conditions
In areas less than 50 km from observed sea ice,1 exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations will not be permitted in the period 15 December–15 June.
Framework for petroleum activities in the Norwegian Sea
The Government will use the following framework as a basis for petroleum activities in the Norwegian Sea:
Figure 9.2 Framework for petroleum activities in the Norwegian Sea.
Source Norwegian Environment Agency/Marine spatial management tool
a) The Møre banks
No production licences will be awarded for the Møre banks. This does not apply to the parts of the Møre banks that are included in the system of awards in predefined areas (APA).
b) Halten bank, open part
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the spawning season (1 February–1 June);
No seismic surveys during spawning migration/in the spawning season (1 January–1 May);
Use of technology to deal with drill cuttings and drilling mud on herring spawning grounds.
c) Sklinna bank, open part
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the spawning season (1 February–1 June);
No seismic surveys during spawning migration/in the spawning season (1 January–1 May);
Use of technology to deal with drill cuttings and drilling mud on herring spawning grounds;
Particularly effective oil spill preparedness and response system, including short response times.
d) Coastal waters, northern part
No further opening of areas of coastal waters that are not currently open for petroleum activities.
e) Remman archipelago and coastal waters, southern part
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the spawning season and breeding and moulting seasons (1 March–31 August);
Particularly effective oil preparedness and response system, including short response times.
f) Entrance to the Vestfjorden, open part
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the spawning season (1 February–1 June);
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the breeding and moulting seasons (1 March–31 August);
No seismic surveys during spawning migration/in the spawning season (1 January–1 May);
Particularly effective oil spill preparedness and response system, including short response times.
Delimitation of the area – blocks: 6609/1, 2, 3 and 6610/1, 2, 3, 6611/1, 2.
g) Iverryggen reef
No new petroleum activities will be initiated in the Iverryggen reef area until an overall marine protection plan for all Norwegian sea areas has been presented to the Storting.
h) Froan archipelago/Sula reef
No new petroleum activities will be initiated in the Froan archipelago/Sula reef area until an overall marine protection plan for all Norwegian sea areas has been presented to the Storting.
i) EggakantenSouth
There is a general principle that new production licences must include requirements for surveys to identify any coral reefs or other valuable benthic communities that may be affected by petroleum activities and ensure that they are not damaged. This will be particularly strictly applied in the Eggakanten South area. Special conditions may be included in licences to avoid damage.
j) Jan Mayen/West Ice
No petroleum activities will be initiated around Jan Mayen.
k) Other areas that have been opened for petroleum activities in the Norwegian Sea
No seismic surveys in the exploration phase are to be carried out landward of the 500-metre depth contour in the period 1 January–1 April. This restriction does not apply to site surveys.
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the period 1 April–15 June in the blocks 6204/1,2,3,4,5,7,8 and 6304/12 within the 500-metre depth contour; quadrant 6305 within the 500-metre depth contour, quadrants 6306, 6307, 6407/2,3,5,6,8,9,11,12; 6408/4,7; 6508, 6509, 6510, 6608/3,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12; 6609, 6610 and 6611.
No exploration drilling in oil-bearing formations in the breeding and moulting seasons (1 April–31 August) in the blocks 6204/7,8,10,11; 6306/6,8,9; 6307/1,2,3,4,5,7.
Framework for petroleum activities in the North Sea and Skagerrak
The Government will use the following framework as a basis for petroleum activities in the North Sea and Skagerrak:
Figure 9.3 Framework for petroleum activities in the North Sea and Skagerrak.
Source Norwegian Environment Agency/Marine spatial management tool
a) Skagerrak
No petroleum activities will be initiated in the Skagerrak.
b) North Sea coastal waters
In a zone stretching 25 km outwards from the baseline, licensees must ensure adequate preparedness and response capacity for coastal waters and shoreline clean-up that is not based on municipal and government resources.
c) Sandeel habitat south and sandeel habitat north (Viking Bank)
Exploration drilling in the areas of sandeel habitat and in a zone surrounding them must be carried out in a way that minimises disturbance to spawning, and there must be no discharges of drill cuttings, to ensure that the quality of these areas is not reduced by sediment deposition from drilling activities.
Any field developments in these areas must use solutions that keep changes to benthic conditions in the areas of sandeel habitat to a minimum.
9.2.5 Offshore wind power
Offshore wind power is growing globally. The pace of development is rapid and accelerating, particularly in the North Sea. At present, development costs are considerably higher for offshore wind power than for land-based wind power, and there are other challenges associated with offshore industrial activity than with similar land-based activities. The technical and cost-related problems can to some extent be compensated for by better wind conditions offshore, and the fact that larger wind turbines can be built than is possible onshore. Floating wind power may become a substantial energy source if the costs can be reduced sufficiently for it to be competitive. Norwegian ocean industries have considerable maritime and petroleum-related expertise that could play a role in the development of floating wind farms.
Knowledge about the environmental impacts of offshore wind power is variable, depending on the species, geographical area and other matters under consideration. Based on the knowledge available in 2012, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate concluded in its strategic impact assessment of offshore wind power in a number of areas of interest that the impacts would vary between undetectable and small for fish, marine mammals and benthic communities and from small to moderate for seabirds, but it also pointed out that mapping of benthic communities in the areas of interest was incomplete.
The Government will:
open certain areas for licence applications for offshore renewable energy production and adopt regulations under the Offshore Energy Act;
give weight to new knowledge when assessing whether to open areas and setting environmental requirements for licences, including knowledge about habitat use by seabirds and the impacts of offshore wind power on seabirds;
build up expertise and knowledge on environmental impacts of offshore wind power.
9.2.6 Extraction of minerals from the seabed
In accordance with the Seabed Mineral Act, an area must as a general rule have been officially opened before licences can be issued for exploration and extraction. Before an area is opened, a strategic environmental assessment must be carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. A strategic environmental assessment under the Seabed Mineral Act has been started. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate is working on a resource assessment and study programme. A strategic environmental assessment under the Act is intended to elucidate the possible environmental, industry-related, economic and social impacts of opening an area.
The Government will:
in accordance with the Seabed Mineral Act, conduct a strategic environmental assessment for mineral extraction on the Norwegian continental shelf.
9.2.7 Sustainable tourism and leisure activities
More and more tourists from around the world are visiting Norway to experience its clean, rich and undisturbed environment. Few countries have as long and varied a coastline as Norway, and the coastal environment, fjords and marine areas have great potential in terms of tourism. However, growing numbers of tourists are putting greater pressure on the environment, resources and coastal communities. Cruise traffic around Svalbard has also increased significantly, and larger ships and more frequent calls are causing problems in a number of areas.
The Government will:
safeguard the species and habitats that provide the basis for ocean-based tourism and leisure activities;
build up knowledge about the use of marine and coastal areas for outdoor recreation, leisure activities and nature-based tourism and how people’s experience of these areas is affected by changes in activity levels and environmental status in the management plan areas;
review whether cruise traffic around Svalbard can be restricted on the basis of preparedness, safety and security and environmental considerations.
9.2.8 Offshore military shooting and exercise areas
Offshore military shooting and exercise areas are essential to the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational activities and ultimately for national emergency preparedness and crisis management capabilities. When using these areas for exercises or other purposes, it is important to safeguard the environment properly. A review of the future spatial needs of the Armed Forces and the potential for coordinating use of areas set aside for defence-related activities for several purposes is under way. This work will result in changes to the formal status and structure of these areas. Closing down or altering boundaries of some areas, may open up opportunities for civilian uses such as aquaculture or renewable energy production. If any new military shooting and exercise areas are to be established, military and other spatial interests will be weighed up against each other.
The Government will:
consider changes in offshore military shooting and exercise areas to make their structure more efficient and strengthen the Armed Forces’ operational capabilities.
9.2.9 Coordinated spatial management and coexistence between ocean-based industries
In view of the expected growth in new and emerging ocean industries, the Government will consider whether there are certain geographical areas where many different interests intersect.
The Government will:
facilitate sound decision-making on coexistence between ocean-based industries and coordinated spatial management by reviewing the impacts, including the economic impacts, of various options for the use of Norway’s marine areas, and will consider potentially conflicting interests in individual cases at political level as necessary.
9.3 Measures to ensure good environmental status and conservation of marine ecosystems
Environmental status in Norway’s rich, productive seas is in many respects good, but climate change is having growing impacts. In the North Sea, rising temperatures have resulted in changes in the zooplankton community and a less productive ecosystem. In the Norwegian Sea, climate change is resulting in higher seawater temperatures, and acidification has been registered. The loss of sea ice is causing changes in the ecosystem in the northern part of the Barents Sea. It is vital to maintain efforts to alleviate long-standing environmental problems and to promote continued value creation.
9.3.1 Particularly valuable and vulnerable areas
Particularly valuable and vulnerable areas have been identified as being of great importance for biodiversity and biological production in an entire management plan area. New information about seabird populations has been obtained through the mapping and monitoring programme SEAPOP. Knowledge about the seabed in the particularly valuable and vulnerable areas has been improved and the value of these areas has been confirmed through the MAREANO programme which is mapping the seabed in Norwegian waters.
The Forum for Integrated Ocean Management has begun a review of all the particularly valuable and vulnerable areas identified in the management plan areas on the basis of the new knowledge that has been built up.
The Government will:
On the basis of the recommendations from the Forum for Integrated Ocean Management, delimit the boundary of the marginal ice zone as a particularly valuable and vulnerable area using the line where ice is found on 15 % of the days in April, as calculated using ice data for the 30-year period 1988–2017;
by the end of 2021, complete the review of valuable species and habitats and their vulnerability for all the particularly valuable and vulnerable areas identified in the management plan areas;
review whether areas containing underwater mountains meet the criteria for designation as particularly valuable and vulnerable areas.
9.3.2 Marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures
Conservation measures are needed for a selection of Norway’s marine areas, habitats and ecosystems, both to safeguard valuable biodiversity and ecological functions, and to reduce pressures on and the vulnerability of marine ecosystems that are exposed to climate change and ocean acidification. Marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures can also play a part in maintaining natural carbon sinks, both because physical disturbance of the seabed is avoided and because a healthy flora and fauna in marine and coastal waters contributes to carbon uptake and storage in seabed sediments.
The Government will:
continue work on the establishment of marine protected areas;
draw up an overall national plan for marine protected areas in the course of 2020;
assess the need to protect distinctive and rare species and habitats in deep-sea areas.
9.3.3 Safeguarding species and habitat types
There is still a lack of knowledge about the ecological relationships between different parts of marine ecosystems and about marine habitats that are particularly important for the structure, functioning and productivity of ecosystems. Species that are essential to the structure, functioning and productivity of ecosystems will be managed in such a way that they are able to maintain their role as key species in the ecosystem concerned. The Norwegian Red List for ecosystems and habitat types 2018 indicates which habitat types are at risk of being lost in Norway.
The Government will:
continue efforts to maintain viable populations of and improve the conservation status of endangered and vulnerable species in Norwegian waters;
continue efforts to protect coastal cod stocks;
continue efforts to protect coral reefs and other vulnerable benthic fauna against the use of bottom fishing gear;
build up knowledge about the occurrence, vulnerability and conservation status of vulnerable and endangered species and habitat types in Norwegian waters.
9.3.4 Improving the situation for seabird populations
Populations of a number of seabirds have shown a considerable decline over time. We know a certain amount about the reasons behind these major changes, but more knowledge is needed about ecological interactions in ecosystems that are important for seabird populations, together with an overview of pressures on seabirds and measures that can be introduced to avoid seabird mortality. Earlier work involving cooperation between seabird experts and marine scientists should be further developed.
A national action plan for seabirds is being drawn up, in which various policy instruments and measures will be considered, including whether certain seabirds should be designated as priority species. Work on seabirds was also discussed further in the white paper on Norway’s national biodiversity action plan (Meld. St. 14 (2015–2016)). Knowledge about seabirds is being built up through the SEAPOP mapping and monitoring programme, including the SEATRACK module, which is mapping the non-breeding distribution of seabirds. A considerable amount of new information on seabird populations in Norwegian waters has been acquired through the programme. It is important to update and further develop this information, since it forms part of the knowledge base on seabirds and on the major marine ecosystems.
The Government will:
present a national action plan in order to improve the situation for seabird populations;
establish a permanent monitoring system for seabird bycatches in fisheries and consider targeted measures for reducing the scale of these unintentional bycatches;
further develop the systematic efforts to build up knowledge about seabirds through the mapping and monitoring programme for seabirds, SEAPOP, including the SEATRACK module for their non-breeding distribution;
carry out a new total census of breeding, staging and wintering seabirds along the Norwegian coast
establish cooperation between seabird experts, marine scientists and climate researchers to further develop research on seabirds and marine ecosystems and how climate change will affect food supplies and the viability of Norwegian seabird populations;
make map services on seabird habitat use available by publishing data through the marine spatial management tool for the ocean management plans.
9.3.5 Preventing the spread of alien species
The spread of invasive alien species is regarded as one of the most serious threats to biodiversity. Alien species can cause severe damage by displacing naturally occurring species. A number of alien species have become established in Norwegian waters. Most of them are benthic plant and animal species found near the coast, such as Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and japweed (Sargassum muticum). There are various vectors for the spread of marine species across the world’s oceans, for example shipping, aquaculture activities and unintended release.
The Government will:
continue efforts to reduce numbers of Pacific oysters along the shoreline and around coastal islands and skerries;
improve knowledge about and monitor the occurrence, spread and impacts of alien species in Norwegian waters.
9.3.6 Reducing pollution by hazardous substances
Monitoring of pollution levels in the management plan areas shows that inputs of most persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances and radioactive substances that are monitored are stable or in some cases declining. A slight rise in inputs via air to the Barents Sea has been measured in recent years.
Concentrations of the persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances that are monitored in sediments and marine organisms are stable or declining. There are environmental quality standards for a number of pollutants, which have been set at very low levels to protect the most vulnerable ecosystem components. These levels are still exceeded for certain pollutants, including mercury, PCBs and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in most of the species that are monitored. The management plan goals related to hazardous substances are therefore not considered to have been achieved. The focus on reducing inputs of pollutants must therefore be maintained.
Much more information is still needed to give a complete picture of the levels of hazardous substances in the management plan areas. The monitoring programmes only include a limited selection of substances, and new chemicals are constantly being taken into use.
Transport from other countries with ocean currents and in the atmosphere accounts for a large proportion of inputs of hazardous substances to the management plan areas. Extensive international cooperation is therefore needed to deal with the problem. There are known to be considerable inputs with ocean currents, but only very rough estimates of inputs are available for individual substances, so that there is little information on changes in inputs. Climate change may influence inputs of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances and other pollutants to the management plan areas.
The Government will:
work for a stricter international regime governing persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances through instruments including the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention and the regional Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution;
continue monitoring and mapping of hazardous substances in marine ecosystems;
continue screening studies to detect new persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances in the management plan areas and develop new methods to make it easier to detect the potentially most dangerous pollutants;
build up knowledge about the cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems of long-range transport of hazardous substances and about inputs from different sectors;
build up knowledge about the combined effects of climate change and hazardous substances on marine ecosystems.
9.3.7 Combating marine litter and microplastics
It is still uncertain how much waste ends up in the marine environment in Norway. No data are available for estimating the total quantity of waste in Norway’s marine and coastal areas. To ensure effective reduction of inputs of plastic litter and microplastics to the marine environment, national and international measures must be designed so that they are targeted as precisely as possible to give the best possible effect. To do this, better documentation is needed of established and new sources and the quantities that come from different sources. Effective waste recovery as close to the sources as possible will also be required to reduce the quantity of plastic waste in the marine environment. There must be a systematic effort to ensure the use of the best available and up-to-date scientific knowledge, which may involve training, regulatory measures, agreements or other instruments in relevant industries and sectors. International cooperation will also be of crucial importance for reducing marine litter in the management plan areas.
The Government will:
intensify monitoring of marine litter and microplastics in the marine and coastal environment;
revise Norway’s strategy to combat marine plastic waste and the spread of microplastics;
introduce legislation on the delivery free of charge for waste retrieved at sea, in line with the revised Port Reception Facilities Directive;
assess how producer responsibility for fishing gear and aquaculture equipment best can be implemented in Norway, in line with the directive on reducing the impact of certain plastic products on the environment;
take steps to improve the coordination and efficiency of clean-up and retrieval operations in Norway, including developing and deploying digital tools and maintaining central government involvement, for example through the Norwegian Centre for Oil Spill Preparedness and Marine Environment.
9.3.8 Underwater noise
Ambient noise levels are rising, primarily a result of the growing volume of shipping. Noise can disturb acoustic communication between marine mammals and make it more difficult for them to find and catch food and to navigate. Intense sound pulses produced by seismic activity, military sonar, detonations and pile-driving can result in behavioural changes in fish and marine mammals. Although much more has been learned over the past 10–15 years, little specific information is available about how noise pollution over time, often combined with other pressures, may affect populations of vulnerable species.
The Government will:
build up knowledge about the impacts of underwater noise on fish and marine mammals;
establish pressure indicators for underwater noise and harmonise them with the OSPAR system.
9.3.9 Strengthening preparedness and response to acute pollution
Norway’s goal is to keep the risk of environmental damage from acute pollution at a low level, and to make continuous efforts to reduce it further. The environmental authorities need information on the potential environmental consequences, the severity of the potential consequences and the associated uncertainty when assessing levels of environmental risk.
The Government will:
continue the establishment of test and exercise facilities for oil spill response equipment at Fiskebøl in Nordland county;
continue to play a part in developing a preparedness and response system for Arctic waters, partly in response to recommendations by the Office of the Auditor General in a report on the authorities’ efforts to safeguard the environment and fisheries in connection with petroleum activities in the Arctic;
continue the development of Norway’s nuclear emergency preparedness system under the leadership of the Crisis Committee for Nuclear Preparedness.
9.4 Strengthening the knowledge base – mapping, research and monitoring
More knowledge and a better understanding are needed of ecosystem function and the impacts on ecosystems of factors such as human activity, climate change, ocean acidification, pollution and plastic and microplastics. This understanding is a vital basis for sustainable use of natural resources, innovation and economic development. Marine research and monitoring are international in nature, and are of crucial importance for effective international cooperation on ocean management.
There is a pressing global need for more knowledge about the oceans, mapping and monitoring of different areas, and sharing of experience and expertise. Norway supports international processes to develop the necessary knowledge, for example through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Administrative bodies in individual countries need more detailed knowledge, but many countries do not have sufficient capacity to acquire the knowledge they need. Norway is a world leader in several areas of marine research, and shares and develops its knowledge through extensive international cooperation.
9.4.1 Marine ecosystems
Basic knowledge about marine ecosystems, natural fluctuations and the impacts of human activity is needed to develop an integrated ecosystem-based ocean management regime.
More knowledge and a better understanding are needed of ecosystem function, the impacts on ecosystems of climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, plastic and microplastics, and physical pressures arising from human activity. Better methods of estimating the cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems should be developed.
To make it possible to evaluate progress towards the goals set in the ocean management plans, a system for coordinated monitoring of environmental status has been established, based on a representative set of indicators. The indicator set needs to be further developed to include more pressure and impact indicators, and should be coordinated with relevant work under OSPAR. Monitoring and measuring environmental status in the marine environment will be coordinated with the system of scientifically based criteria and management objectives for good ecological status, which is being developed.
The Government will:
build up knowledge about marine ecosystems and how they are changing as a result of greater human activity, climate change and pollution;
build up knowledge about the role of marine ecosystems in global climate evolution;
improve knowledge about the links between marine and coastal ecosystems;
further develop the monitoring system for ecosystems and environmental status in the management plan areas, and coordinate it with relevant elements of the OSPAR monitoring system;
consider the use of satellite data in monitoring Norwegian waters;
continue to support the development of research infrastructure and good test facilities for the ocean industries; this includes work on Ocean Space Laboratories.
9.4.2 Mapping marine habitat types and the seabed – the MAREANO programme
The interdisciplinary MAREANO programme maps the seabed in Norway’s marine and coastal waters, and provides information on the seabed based on its own surveys and syntheses of existing data. Information provided by the programme is used to promote sustainable management and the development of ocean-based industries.
The MAREANO programme has registered many new coral reefs, and as a result, a further ten areas of cold-water coral reefs in Norwegian waters were given special protection by designation as marine protected areas under the Marine Resources Act. Information from the programme has also resulted in the closure of fisheries in areas around Svalbard, for example to protect sea pen communities. Knowledge acquired through the MAREANO programme, for example about vulnerable habitat types such as coral reefs, gorgonian forests and sponge communities, is important for sustainable management of the seabed. More knowledge is needed about habitat-forming species such as sea pens and soft corals that have a dispersed distribution pattern, and about species and habitats in deep-sea areas. Data obtained through the MAREANO programme is being used for marine ecosystems in the preparation of maps of ecological information for Norway. The Norwegian system for classifying habitats, ecosystems and landscapes developed by the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre will be used to describe variation in the marine environment.
The Government will:
continue the MAREANO programme for mapping the seabed in Norway’s marine and coastal waters;
continue to map important marine habitat types, including endangered and vulnerable habitat types such as coral reefs and deep-sea species and habitat types.
9.5 International ocean cooperation
Norway advocates integrated, ecosystem-based management and the inclusion of key topics such as sustainable fisheries management, the oceans as a source of food, climate change, ocean acidification and marine litter in international ocean cooperation.
The IPCC’s special report on the ocean and cryosphere points out that pollution, runoff and other factors that have negative impacts on marine ecosystems also make them more vulnerable to climate change. Reducing other forms of pollution and environmental pressures is therefore an important approach for ensuring that the oceans can be used as a basis for nature-based solutions to the problem of climate change. International cooperation will be vital for the development of a basis for forward-looking, climate-resilient ocean management. This cooperation includes ocean-related processes during the UN General Assembly and within specialised agencies such as FAO and UNESCO and programmes such as UNEP, work in the regional fisheries management organisations, cooperation under the OSPAR Convention, and cooperation on implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and agreements on reducing pollution.
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) is intended to generate knowledge that can be used in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The new knowledge it generates will also benefit Norwegian ocean management and the Norwegian ocean industries. Norway’s promotion of knowledge generation through mapping, research and environmental monitoring during the ocean science decade will also be useful in the global effort to develop knowledge of the oceans. The ocean science decade overlaps with the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016–2025), and will be able to supply knowledge that can be used in promoting food from the oceans in efforts to achieve food security and improved nutrition.
The Government will:
continue to promote integrated, ecosystem-based management in international ocean cooperation;
advocate using knowledge about the impacts on the oceans of climate change in combination with other factors as a basis for work in relevant international forums and agreements;
work internationally towards sustainable management and restoration of existing carbon sinks in marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, eelgrass meadows and kelp forests;
work towards a new comprehensive global agreement to combat marine litter and microplastics, which will have the aim of eliminating inputs from all ocean- and land-based sources;
continue to support the efforts of developing countries to combat marine litter and plastic waste;
through participation in international research cooperation, play a part in building up knowledge about global sources and environmental impacts of marine litter and microplastics;
continue cooperation on the marine environment within OSPAR to ensure good ecological status in Norwegian waters and the North East Atlantic as a whole;
strengthen cooperation on fisheries management measures in the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC), including cooperation on the protection of vulnerable areas against fisheries activities;
promote the role of seafood in achieving global food security and improved nutrition, for example through the Global Action Network Sustainable Food from the Oceans and Inland Waters for Food Security and Nutrition as part of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition;
strengthen ocean cooperation under the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Arctic Council, and continue cooperation with Russia on the marine environment;
take the initiative for an assessment by the Arctic Council of future ecological impacts of climate change on the marine environment in the Arctic;
encourage Norwegian participation in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and in the mission area on healthy oceans in the new EU research and innovation framework programme;
by establishing the Oceans for Development programme, assist developing companies to establish and comply with a framework for integrated, sustainable ocean management, and through this contribute to food security, sustainable value creation and employment in an inclusive ocean economy;
assist with capacity development in recipient countries to promote understanding and implementation of the Convention on the Law of the Sea as a basis for conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
9.6 Further development of the management plan system
It will soon be 20 years since Norway began the development of its system of integrated ocean management plans. Including the present white paper, eight white papers on the management plans have been presented to the Storting (Norwegian parliament). However, this is the first time all of Norway’s integrated ocean management plans have been presented together in one white paper. This approach will make the management plan system more dynamic and flexible, and will for example make it possible to focus on specific topics across all three management plan areas. The Forum for Integrated Ocean Management and the Advisory Group on Monitoring provide an efficient framework for work on the scientific basis for the management plans, and there is a smoothly functioning monitoring system for all three management plan areas. The management plan system now has the capacity to compile a sound, up-to-date scientific basis for a new white paper on the management plans every four years, as requested by the Storting.
The mandates of the Forum for Integrated Ocean Management and the Advisory Group on Monitoring will be reviewed on the basis of experience from the preparation of the scientific basis for the present white paper, with a view to maintaining scientific integrity and ensuring effective use of resources. Participation by a range of stakeholders is an important part of the management plan work. There are plans to make the scientific results of work on the management plans more readily available in order to strengthen stakeholder participation.
The Government will:
present a new white paper to the Storting on the integrated ocean management plans every four years;
review the mandates of the Forum for Integrated Ocean Management and the Advisory Group on Monitoring with a view to ensuring high scientific quality and effective use of resources;
continue the development of digital systems for communication information on Norway’s ocean management plans;
ensure that public authorities that own data make their datasets and information available for use in the marine spatial management tool for the management plans;
promote closer dialogue between local, regional and national authorities by making use of the forum for dialogue on ocean issues in the management plan work. The forum involves representatives of the Government, the counties, the Sámediggi (Sami parliament) and the coastal municipalities. Others are invited to take part when appropriate.
Footnotes
As shown on the Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s daily ice charts.