Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic: Perspectives from the Barents Area

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Adaptation Actions for a Changing Arctic: Perspectives from the Barents Area

80°N

Franz Josef Land

Economic Zone for Russia

Svalbard

Novaya Zemlya

International Waters

Fisheries Protection Zone around Svalbard

70°N

y

N o r w a

Jan Mayen

n e f o r

m i c Z o

W a t e r s

Fisheries Zone around Jan Mayen

E c o n o

i o n a l

e r n a t

66°33’45’’N

I n t

10°E

40°E

0°

30°E

20°E

10°W

Figure 2.16 National jurisdictions in the Barents Sea, and the corresponding ICES fishery management areas (Norwegian Mapping Authority). P o l a r s i r k e l e n

2015 (Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, 2015). In Norway, disease, lice, and escape from sea cages are major challenges, and efforts are being made to solve these problems by using new technology and moving production offshore or onto land. Fish farming is a major source of nitrogen and phosphorus to Norwegian coastal waters. In 2013, discharges from fish- farming in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark counties accounted for about 85% (nitrogen) and 90% (phosphorus) of the total anthrophonic inputs of these substances to this coastline (Selvik andHøgåsen,2014).However,the water bodies on this coastline are considered of good or high status according to the EU Water Framework Directive, and as a non-problem area for eutrophication according to the OSPAR screening procedure (Norderhaug et.al, 2016). Availability of marine foodstuffs is another challenge.The development of aquaculture into a large- scale industry with a high concentration of ownership creates further tensions with the local communities, which make space available for the industry but which may see few positive benefits of this activity. In Russia, aquaculture has decreased four-fold since 1990 leading to the development of the Federal law“On aquaculture (fish farming) and amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation”. The sector is now under strong development in the Murmansk region, where the volume of raised commercial fish is now significantly higher; increasing from 440 tons in 2007 to 16,300 tons in 2012 (Strategy for development of theMurmansk region, 2013). Further development of this sector is planned, as it is expected

been a simultaneous decline in local fisheries with that described for forestry (Section 2.3.6): the small-scale coastal fishing pattern that was prevalent historically is increasingly being replaced by high technology,fewer fishers and larger companies and trawlers (Keskitalo, 2008a). Changes that could increase with climate change, such as the movement of cold-water fish northwards and a shift in fish species, are already exacerbating these trends, and different technologies such as ocean-going vessels and the need to possess quotas for other (more expensive) species may limit the extent to which local fishers can cope with changing circumstances (see Keskitalo, 2008a). Fish farming has been driven by a growing international demand over the past few years. The main production takes place in Norwegian waters, where production of salmonids dominates and has become one of the country’s leading export industries. The Norwegian share of Arctic aquaculture is currently 98% of total value (Hermansen and Troell, 2012), with Finland and Sweden producing small volumes of freshwater species and some production of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) in the Murmansk region. In the period 1998–2015 Norway’s total fish farming production increased from about 0.4 million tons to 1.4 million tons. In 2015, the three northernmost counties (those included in the Barents Region) contributed almost 40% of Norway’s aquaculture production. This is an increase from ~27% in 1998 (Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, 2015). About 2000 people were employed in the Norwegian aquaculture industry in the three northernmost counties in