Assessing impacts of human use

Transcription

1 Norway Japan marine seminar 2012 Assessing impacts of human use Fisheries, aquaculture, shipping and energy exploitation in an integrated and ecosystem-based perspective By: Dr. Erik Olsen Head of research program for oil and fish

2 Overview Integrated management plans a way to manage human activities holistically and ecosystem-based Major human impacts Fisheries Aquaculture Shipping Energy exploitation (petroleum & renewables) Ecological value and vulnerability Major research challenges

3 Norway; the ocean state Area Waters under Norwegian jurisdiction: 2,3 million km 2 Land territory: km 2 Economic importance Petroleum, aquaculture and fisheries are the main exports and foundation our welfare

4 A growing understanding for integrated ocean management Response to challenges: Climate change, pollution, increasing economic activity The cumulative impacts of various uses of and pressures on the marine environment necessitate integrated approaches to its management. External pressure for implementing the Ecosystem Approach: North Sea ministerial meeting 1997 calling for implementation of the Ecosystem Approach Johannesburg Declaration 2002 calling for implementation of EA by 2010 Integrated ocean management is addressed through a number of concepts: Marine Spatial Planning, Ocean Zoning, Ecosystem-based ocean management etc.

5 The Norwegian Management plans Initiated in 2001 to implement integrated and ecosystem-based management for Nor. EEZs Barents sea: 2006 (revision in 2011) Norwegian sea: 2009 North Sea: planned for 2013 Norwegian sea North Sea Barents sea

6 Human impacts Fisheries Aquaculture Shipping Energy exploitation (petroleum & renewables

7 Impact of fisheries Impact on the exploited stock Reduced by the use of sustainable and precautionary harvest control rules (evaluated by ICES -International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) Impact on the environment due to use of fishing gear Reduced by development of gear that lower bycatches (sorting grid) and habitat impact (replacement of bottom trawl) and reduced fuel consumption

8 Norwegian Sea Barents Sea North Sea Fisheries currently has the largest impacts The Barents Sea - an open continental shelf Trawling destroys bottom habitats Periodic overfishing of some depleted stocks The Norwegian Sea an open, deep ocean Large pelagic fish stocks varying exploitation Not all fisheries are conducted with an international agreement on allocation or recommended total catch The North Sea an inland, shallow ocean Overexploited fish stocks, reduced individual size Industrial pollution and eutrophication

9 Impacts of Marine aquaculture localities aquaculture Sustainability of aquaculture: Environmental and ecological effects of aquaculture and ocean ranging Health and disease dispersal interactions between farmed and wild populations Effect (genetic) of escapees Welfare of fish in aquaculture

10 Risk assessment of aquaculture 2011 Aims for sustainability Salmon lice* Other diseases Genetic effects Regional eutrophication Regional organic load Drug use Finnmark Troms Nordland Nord-Trøndelag Sør-Trøndelag Møre og Romsdal Sogn og Fjordane Hordaland Rogaland Institute of Marine Research- Risk evaluation 2011

11 Shipping Vessel traffic (int) has increased and expected to increase further with opening of northern sea route Vessel traffic in the Barents Sea Antall transitter 6 4 Antall tonn Possible northern sea routes

12 Energy Petroleum areas in the Norwegian EEZ (2011) exploitation: petroleum Development started in the south (North sea) in 1970 s Moving north and closer to coast Into more sensitive and valuable areas Improved environmental technology and reduced pollution, but risk of large accidents are still a major concern TFO licensing areas OPENED areas CLOSED areas Opening process (ongoing)

13 Area-based frameworks for petroleum

14 Energy exploitation: renewables Wind farming still in its infancy Only land-based developments so far Off-shore areas under evaluation Possible sites for wind-farms Floating Bottom mounted

15 Ecological value and vulnerability What is most important in our marine ecosystem? Ecologically valuable areas identified in the development of the management plans Afforded special management measures (protection) in zoning plan Area-based management offers cross-sectoral management and assessment of total (cumulative) impacts Ecological value Petroleum Fisheries Shipping

16 Major research gaps possibilities for collaboration Developing a cross-sectoral common understanding and handling of environmental risk assessment Methods for assessing cumulative impacts and vulnerabilities Assessing the increase in human use from tourism, shipping, petroleum, renewables etc Ecological consequences of climate change

17 Thank you for your attention! Photo: T. de Lange Wenneck