Changing uses and values of

marine ecosystem services in

the Norwegian Arctic

Foundation of the Norwegian economy – natural resources

Theengineer.co.uk

Folldalverk.noFiskeribladet.no Flickr.com

The productive Lofoten fisheries dates more than 1000 years back

galleri-lofoten.no

The waterfalls gave cheap hydroelectric power to the industry in

the early age of industrialisation

Oslo museum/Wikimedia commons

Metal and mineral deposits are found in all parts of the country

and has brought jobs and wealth to small communities

Tu.no

But the natural resource that has made Norway one of the richest

countries in the world is the oil

Oilandgaspeople.com

Time for economic reorientation

Climate change effects shown to be larger at the global extremes

(Arctic and Antarctica)

Arctic-news.blogspot.com

uit.no

Changing uses and values of marine

ecosystem services in the Norwegian Arctic

Objectives and research questions

• The project recognizes that global changes

in climate change and human activities may

affect utilization of marine ecosystem

services (ES) in the northernmost part of

Norway. By providing reliable monetary and

non-monetary values of marine ES in an

amended cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

framework and as input in bio-economic

models the project aims to deliver improved

tools for decision-making on trade-offs

between different uses of marine ES

spatially and across stakeholders.

1) Set up model to show private and

commercial activities’ dependence on ES

2) To amend standard CBA framework and

bio-economic models to better include non-

monetary values

3) Demonstrate valuation methods in region-

specific case studies

4) Analyse how value information can be used

for trade-offs in policy and decision making

Aquaculture expansion in Arctic Norway

• Five-fold increase, super-proportional share

in Arctic Norway

• Climate change implies higher sea

temperature in the north

• With more intensive fish farming the sea-

lice infestation of wild salmon may

increase?

• Sea-bed impacts?

• Effects on wild fisheries?

Valuation workshops taking into account uncertainties

• Parallel workshops; one were we present

info about the aquaculture expansion and

possible environmental effects as relatively

certain and one where the same

information is presented, but as uncertain

• The participants are given exactly the same

survey-questions, only info differ

• Does uncertainties regarding the valuation

scenarios affect peoples’ responses?

• If yes; how does it change their responses?Meridian.org

Mining (https://www.tekes.fi/globalassets/programmes-and-

services/green-mining/pdac-2015/14.-oystein-rushfeldt----nussir-asa.pdf )

• Sea tailings deposits, Repparfjord =

national salmon fjord

• Electronic survey in Finmark county

• In the survey people are asked to trade-off

between mining and new jobs and

environmental aspects (ecosystem

services)

• Non-monetary assessment collected

through in-depth interviews with

stakeholders in and around Kvalsund

municipality

Marine fishing tourism

• The coastal cod and it’s diverse uses;

traditional fisheries, tourist fishers, and

recreational fishing for locals

• But; stocks have been declining for years,

and the British SEAFISH has rated it as

follows:

• Norwegian coastal cod has been scored

a high risk. Although the spawning

stock biomass appears stable, it is close

to the lowest observed level.

Recruitment has also been at a low level

in recent years.

Marine fishing tourism

• Internet-based survey asking people to

assess the three different uses of the

coastal cod.

• Results from the survey will be used as

input in bio-economic modelling

• PhD-student will work on this case

• This case-study will also be related to the

research project Coast benefits

• This case study will be a comparative study

together with a Portuguese study

Sea transport and oil spill risk

• Huge quantities of crude oil and refined

petroleum products are transported by ship

between production sites, refineries and

points of consumption. Oil shipments

account for about 30% of global maritime

trade.

• Based on existing work by Menon on WTP

for increased oil-spill security

• Comparative study between Norway

(Lofoten islands) and Portugal (Sines, one

of Europe’s largest oil refineries)