Vegaøyan on the Helgeland coast in Nordland is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the reasons is the eiders and the thousand-year-old tradition of collecting eider down. For several years, the world’s largest salmon company has tried to build a farm on Vega. After several years of struggle, the world’s largest farming company Mowi received permission to farm on Rørskjæran in the world heritage area. But the issue of farming being compatible with the status as a world heritage site has been the subject of fierce debate on Vega for a long time. Vega is an island municipality on the Helgeland coast. The approximately 6,500 islands, islets and reefs in the municipality are on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. Both the National Archives and the State Trustee in Nordland stood on the back foot. They were concerned about the impact farming could have on the World Heritage site. A report was therefore commissioned from the international company “Instead Heritage”, which UNESCO uses to carry out such investigations. Now it is ready. And the conclusion: They advise against farming in world heritage areas. Nevertheless, the Labor Party in the municipality welcomes farming. IntraFish reported the matter first. Will not change position Leader of the Vega Labor Party and deputy mayor in the municipality, Hilde Sprækenhus, says that they will not change their position. Even if it means defying the report. – When we applied for world heritage status in 2004, one of the conditions was that there should be the same development in the area as the rest of the country, says Sprækenhus. – When the discussion has been at its fiercest, people have said that we should never have applied for the World Heritage List. Leader of the Vega Labor Party and deputy mayor of Vega, Hilde Sprækenhus, is afraid that the world heritage status will also put a damper on future business development projects. Photo: Hilde Sprækenhus She is afraid that the world heritage status will now make it difficult for them to develop. – We are proud of our status and want to protect it, but as a municipality we cannot agree that we will not be allowed to develop in line with other municipalities on the business front. The deputy mayor understands the conclusion of the report as that farming disturbs the visual appeal of the cultural landscape. Vegaøyan’s long history of coexistence with the eider is one of the reasons why the island kingdom has had world heritage status since 2004. Photo: Helge Lyngmoe / news That conclusion, she is afraid, will also put a damper on things other than farming. – No one knows what kind of new industries may emerge in the future. If we are not to have the same business development in our area as the rest of the country, we must be given the opportunity to discuss it with the state. Riksantikvaren: – Increasing pressure The Riksantikvaren says that it is important that the world heritage areas can develop, but she believes that the development must take place in a way that does not threaten the world heritage status. – World heritage is under increasing pressure from large projects and measures, both in Norway and internationally, says national antiquarian Hanna Geiran. Riksantikvar Hanna Geiran says that the world heritage sites are an obligation Norway has as a state party to the World Heritage Convention. Photo: Trond Isaksen – Vega municipality has various industries and development opportunities, and the National Archives will support initiatives that look after and develop Vega. The state administrator in Nordland writes in an e-mail to news that they believe Vega has the opportunity for significant development if they take full responsibility for the world heritage values. – We completely agree that a living society is a prerequisite for the values ”feskarbonden” have developed over thousands of years, with e.g. operation of egg and down weather must be maintained, writes the state administrator. When work in the world heritage site was stopped in 2019, Mowi had invested around NOK 10 million in the facility. The plan is to create nine positions at the plant worth around 100 million. – A location of modern facilities that is not compatible with these values could destroy these possibilities. At the National Antiquities, she points out that the world heritage sites have further earmarked grants from the state. Vegaøyan alone has received over 100 million in earmarked funds. – If Vega is not allowed to have commercial development, the municipality is afraid that people will move. What do you think about it? – Living local communities and protection through use is the best way to safeguard world heritage and other cultural environments. The development must take place in such a way that the world heritage values are not weakened or lost, says Geiran. Believes farming is reversible “As of now, there is insufficient knowledge that can confirm the overall effects that occur when more facilities are established in marine ecosystems that are already considered fragile. Both of the proposed facilities within the World Heritage area will have potential negative effects on the sense of place that cannot be considered insignificant,” the report states. The deputy mayor of Vega, for his part, believes that breeding facilities are a reversible intervention, which can be taken away if it turns out that it has an impact on eiders or aquatic life in the World Heritage area. – Farming is an industry that is regulated very strictly. We will make it responsible for the companies that are eventually allowed to start farming. Therefore, the deputy mayor of Vega hopes that a separate set of regulations can be drawn up for how business development can take place in World Heritage areas. Neither the National Antiquities Authority nor the State Trustee believe that this is an impossible wish. – The authorities are continuously working on regulatory development, and are concerned that Norway must comply with the obligations that follow from the world heritage status, says national antiquarian Geiran. The tradition of building houses for eiders and making sure that predators do not feed is still maintained on Vegaøyan. Photo: Markus Thonhaugen / news – Will get both parts The coastal plan is out for consultation and will be processed on 20 October. Then Vega will want to maintain the decision on the area plan. And thus give permission for the breeding. The salmon company Mowi will also submit a response to the consultation, news says. If there are still objections in this hearing, the matter will go to the Ministry of Local Government. They have the final decision in consultation with the Directorate of Fisheries and the Directorate of Climate and the Environment. The Vega community hopes for a quick clarification. – This has done something to the Vega community. There has been a fierce debate over time, says the deputy mayor. – This is a commitment we have made and which the world has asked us to take care of forever and ever. We must achieve both parts and then we must come to an amicable solution without missing out on economic and business development.
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Defying report from UNESCO on Vega – supports farming in world heritage area – news Nordland
