Ecosystem-based oceans management:
Norway´s management plans
By: Alf Hakon Hoel and Erik Olsen
Institute of Marine Research, Norway
Photo: T. de Lange Wenneck
Context & drivers The plans
The scientific basis Implementation
Relevance to tipping points
Integrated oceans management
Response to climate change, pollution, increasing economic activity
The cumulative impacts of various uses of and pressures on the marine environment
necessitate integrated approaches
Addressed through a number of concepts:
Marine Spatial Planning, Ocean Zoning, Ecosystem-based ocean management etc.
An ocean state
• Area
– Sea: 2,3 million km2 under Norwegian jurisdiction – Land:
385 000 km2
• Value creation
– Petroleum, aquaculture and fisheries are the main exports and foundation our welfare
Decline in oil/gas production: need for new fields to fill the gap
New areas off Northern Norway
Most promising: Lofoten – Vesterålen
Need infrastructure moving north to access arctic fields
Fishing is the main impact,
but with area-
conflicts with oil/gas
•VMS data for 2009 for vessels >21m
•Pink blocks are areas opened for petroleum activities
Human use of the areas
Von Quillfeldt et al 2009
Anon 2009
• 6 u 11\1 ~ f."rii!:1 110 ll(t D - 1 ~
~~ C=:J :15-1i50
al B 00 ila:&! t!IJ.di. - 1!;;i1 -~
n ~mn110 s.:.n:!:ftms. Cl.r.r'l!.n:t ~ • ~ - EiD1 -11
• ~k; ~2-4m, ~ ~ !5 lo:n05
~ fTKI' .. . fT»I"!im )'ftll ~o-~~
Jan MwHI
Pollution issues
The Plan
Start: 2001
Barents Sea: 2006, revision in 2010/2011 Norwegian Sea: 2009
North Sea: planned 2013
The planning process
From: von Quillfeldt et al 2009
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 c ro
-
Scoping Assments of impacts of: Aggregated analyses: 0..
• Oil and gas • Total impact ~
Status reports: • Shipping • Management goals c
• Environment and • Fisheries • Gaps in knowledge Q) resources • External influences • Vulnerable areas and E
• Valuable area conflic of interests Q)
• Socioecomnomic Consulation with public on C)
aspects mandate and final reports Stakeholder conference ro
• Economic activities c
Development of Ecological ~ ro
Quality Objectives
The science behind the plan
Some areas are more valuable than others
Spawning areas for cod,
herring, capelin, haddock and saithe
Olsen et al. 2010. ICES JMS
Larvae areas for cod, herring, capelin, haddock and saithe
Particularly valuable and vulnerable areas
Von Quillfeldt et al 2009 Olsen and Auran, 2008
. . Valuable and vulnerable areas
C] Variable lce-edge
r::oil'.J Dlsputed area
Revision of the Barents Sea plan (2010/2011) – new knowledge
• MAREANO
seabed mapping project
• Idenfication of vulnerable nature types (OSPAR)
• + many other projects
MAREANO
Buhl-Mortensen and Buhl-Mortensen, 2009 MAREANO
Key Scientific challenges
Effects of climate change and ocean acidification Environmental risks and consequences of human
activities
Effect of fisheries on benthic habitats
Better understanding of trophic interactions in the system
Defining and setting value to ecosystem components and habitats
Assessing vulnerability, cumulative impacts and cumulative vulnerability
Photo: T. de Lange Wenneck
Implementation
Implementation and review
Ministerial steering group
Advisory group Management forum Forum for environmental risk
2010 Knowledge
base for review of Management
Plan
Political process:
New priorities
2011 New Gov.
White paper.
Revised plan 2007
2008 2009
Annual reports
Outside events
No specific legislation - implemented through existing legislation
New Oceans Resources Act
Annual reporting of status and state of knowledge Development of an indicator-based reporting
system (ecosystem state)
Assessment of environmental risk Routing system for shipping
Fisheries regulations
Area-based management framework for petroleum
Area-based management frameworks
Olsen et al 2007
Norwegian petroleum dir, 2009
o
"'
";'
o ....
...
-75°-50°-35°-25° -15° -5 o o o 5 o 15 o 25 o 35 o 45 o 55 o 65 o 75 o 85 o
Management plan area Shipping routes
r:::] Ecologically va lua ble areas
CJ Disputed area
. . Oil/gas discoveries
... ..
.. ..
High intensity fishing Fra mework for petroleum industry No petroleum activity No new petroleum activities No drilling, Ma rch -September:re •·e 6'E ~E 10'E 12'E
• Wells C JTFOareas [ Production Licences
Framework for Petroleum activities, Norwegian Sea 2009-2014
- ""'"""..._~~---of ... (201•1
- NO._..,~~w-f)llbMfVI0~~~--~(1"'-·211"'4) - No~$111r!g~--lleWWICI~~_,__,.(,Ap 31~1
- No•....,-.llon..-ngll'lclllbeMWIII.._,_~~(IF ... !..a.n,IO'...,_~CI""-1Mayl No~~--ØII~~.flllllfiWt..d ... CIAø•ISNn)
- . . . tpnll; . . ..,..,.l
Risks associated with oil/gas production
e
Exploration drilling
Production
OLF Statoil
New Knowledge: Assessing environmental risk of oil spills
Tapsandel årsklasserekruttering - Data fra 1980-2004 vs. 2008/09
0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %
7 7ny 8 8ny 7 7ny 8 8ny 7 7ny 8 8ny 7 7ny 8 8ny
Nordland V Nordland VI Nordland V Nordland VI
Torsk Sild
Sannsynlighet
0 % 0-1% 1-2% 2-5% 5-10% 10-20% 20-30% 30-50% >50% DNV 2010
New Events:
Deepwater horizon blowout
• Duration: 87 d
• Total spill: 779 036 m3
• Spill rate: 8426–9857 m3d-1
Potential for improvements
ORGANIZATIONAL:
Based on science, but need transparency and peer review Improve cooperation between sectors
Identifying disagreements, enhancing the scientific ethos
SCIENTIFIC
Socioeconomic effects are not assessed Ecosystem services are not assessed
Communication of uncertainties
Photo: T. de Lange Wenneck
Integrated oceans management and tipping points
Consider cumulative impacts Assess risks
Reconcile concerns Enhance resilience
Can the Norwegian experience be copied?
Small, homogenous and rich
Efficient, centralized administration Effective science
Thank you for your attention!
Photo: T. de Lange Wenneck