– We have said yes to a great deal, because we cannot say no to everything, everywhere, says Jan Henrik Sandberg of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association. Now the team will put the brakes on. Previously, they have agreed that wind power will be opened up in the areas of Utsira Nord, outside Haugesund and the Southern North Sea, which is the sea area between Norway and Denmark. But Norway’s Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) is now considering new areas for offshore wind along the Norwegian coast. They are following up on the government’s goal of developing 30 gigawatts of wind power by 2040. This corresponds to almost as much capacity as we have in total in Norway today (around 37.5 megawatts). And it is a number that frightens Norwegian fishermen. The ambitions for offshore wind indicate almost a doubling of Norway’s capacity to produce renewable energy. Now the fishermen are saying no What an even greater development at sea means for the fishing industry and food production, no one knows for sure yet. That is why the national board says no to the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association to open new areas for offshore wind power. – What is important to us is that it does not destroy the fisheries. It must not be developed in important fishing, spawning and rearing areas, says Sandberg. – At the same time, it is also important to have knowledge about the effects of scares on fish stocks. And the answer will still be “no” as long as there is no more research in the area. – Fortunately, something positive is now starting to happen there, Sandberg points out. Jan Henrik Sandberg is a senior adviser at the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, and says they follow the research results closely. One wish they have is a survey of all the important spawning areas for the fish along the Norwegian coast. Photo: Jan-Erik Indrestrand / NORWAY’S FISHERIES ASSOCIATION Discourages offshore wind in some areas The Institute of Marine Research is in the process of looking at exactly how the ecosystem is affected by a large development of offshore wind. For now, the researchers advise against offshore wind farms in important spawning areas. The reason is, among other things, noise from wind turbines. – For many fishermen, communication is very important. It can be disturbed by noise. For the time being, we advise against building out in spawning areas and other important areas for important species, says researcher Karen de Jong at the institute. The species that are most affected are those that use sound in the spawning process and when they communicate. – For example, herring hears better, and hears higher frequencies, than other fish. And cod use sound in mating. Karen de Jong is a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research. Photo: Erlend Astad Lorentzen / Norwegian Sea Research Institute At the same time, research from offshore wind farms in Europe shows that many species are attracted to bottom-fixed installations. The reason is that a lot of different things grow around them, and that there is more food to be found there. – Then it is important to look at whether they actually get more food within a wind power plant, or are they so disturbed by noise that they cannot use the resources that are available, says de Jong. – Must co-exist One of those who believes that Norway must increase its investment in utilizing power at sea is Marianne Sivertsen Næss in the Labor Party. At the same time, she emphasizes that new activity at sea should not destroy spawning fish – or the fishermen. – We take the concern of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association very seriously. That is an important consideration. We must achieve good coexistence between the fishing industry and other industries at sea, says Sivertsen Næss. – We still need an investment in offshore wind, both for lower electricity prices, for the climate and to ensure future value creation and jobs in Norway. Marianne Sivertsen Næss in the Labor Party is leader of the energy and environment committee. Photo: Allan Klo Sivertsen Næss says that a total of NOK 22 million has been given through the Research Council and revised national budget to various projects at the Institute of Marine Research. They will research what a development will mean for the fish. – We also say that between each allocation of new areas for offshore wind, an evaluation must be carried out, so that we are sure that we will achieve the goal of coexistence. – They are dependent on more people than themselves The Green Party (MDG) supports the desire for a larger development, but believes the government should have been even more ambitious in its plans. – A large-scale sea window development is absolutely essential to slow down climate change, and thus to prevent climate change from destroying the sea, says Rasmus Hansson, parliamentary representative and business policy spokesperson for MDG. Parliamentary representative and business policy spokesperson for MDG, Rasmus Hansson Photo: Ingeborg Undheim / news He points out that it is important to take the fishing industry into account, but that you must try to coexist as best you can. – The fishing industry is dependent on more than itself if the future of the sea and the industry is to be secured. Havvind is actually one of them. The Storting representative says he takes noise both during development and operation very seriously, but points the finger back at the industry. – At the same time, it is not the case that the sea is noise-free today. Shipping, oil extraction, seismic and fisheries make noise. The fishing industry cannot have a monopoly on making noise in fishing grounds, says Hansson.
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The fishermen’s association says no to the Government’s target for offshore wind – fearing disturbances to the spawning – news Troms and Finnmark
