9 Goals of Norway’s ocean management regime and progress towards them

A key part of Norway’s system of ocean management plans is devising a set of goals for the Government’s ocean policy and for ocean management. The ocean management plans include goals for ecosystem condition, value creation, coexistence between ocean industries, and conservation and sustainable use in the management plan areas. An important element of the process of updating the plans is to review the goals and report on the progress that has been made towards them.

In the previous white paper on the ocean management plans, the goals were harmonised so that they all apply to all three management plan areas. In some cases, they were clarified and simplified to facilitate reporting on progress towards the goals.

The text below reviews and assesses the degree to which these goals have been achieved, based on assessments by the Forum for Integrated Ocean Management.

9.1 Review of progress towards the goals

The goals for value creation, commercial activities and society are considered to have been achieved, whereas many of the other goals – for biodiversity, ecosystems and pollution – have not been achieved or progress is difficult to assess. Nevertheless, pollution levels are generally declining, and stocks of commercial species are generally being maintained at healthy levels.

9.1.1 Goals for value creation, commercial activities and society

General goals

• Norway’s ocean management will promote sustainable use of ecosystems, areas and resources that ensures long-term value creation, employment and people’s welfare, to the benefit of Norway’s regions and the country as a whole.

• The ocean industries will continue to promote value creation and secure welfare and business development to the benefit of the country as a whole.

• Management of commercial activities in the management plan areas will be coordinated to ensure that the various industries are able to coexist and that the overall level of activity is adjusted to take account of environmental considerations.

The Norwegian ocean industries make a significant contribution to employment and value creation in the Norwegian economy. In the period 2016–2020, they accounted for 16–22 % of Norway’s gross national product (GDP) measured in current prices. Rising prices, particularly for natural gas, meant that this share rose to 31 % in 2021 and 57 % in 2022. This corresponded to a monetary value of about NOK 2306 billion in 2022, and the industries provided employment for a total of 233 600 people. The petroleum industry accounts for the largest proportion of value creation, followed by the seafood industry, shipping, and ocean-related value creation in tourism and other land-based industries. Norway’s ocean areas also provide a range of ecosystem services that individuals and society value and depend on, but that are not reflected in the national accounts. Ecosystem services range from use of the sea for recreational fishing and other leisure activities to water purification, climate regulation, sediment formation and primary production. However, there are still major gaps in our knowledge about the scale and significance of ecosystem services in Norway’s marine and coastal waters. A system of national ocean accounts is being developed, and may provide an important tool for building up an overview of value creation in these areas.

The coexistence of different ocean industries is ensured through knowledge-based, open processes involving all relevant parties before decisions are taken on the establishment of new activities. As new ocean industries are established, ocean areas are used more intensively and in new ways.

Fisheries and seafood

• Living marine resources will be managed sustainably through an ecosystem approach based on the best available knowledge.

The Marine Resources Act requires fisheries management to be ecosystem-based, and sets out principles on which the management system must be based. Annual processes organised by the Directorate of Fisheries ensure implementation of the Marine Resources Act. During these processes, the different fisheries are reviewed, their impacts are identified, and priority is given to finding ways of reducing these impacts. The goal of managing living marine resources sustainably is considered to have been achieved.

• Norway’s seas and oceans will be a source of safe seafood.

Levels of hazardous substances in seafood from the Barents Sea–Lofoten area are still generally low and well below the maximum permitted levels for food safety. In the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea–Skagerrak, levels of hazardous substances in seafood are generally below the maximum permitted levels for food safety. However, concentrations above the maximum permitted levels have been found in certain species in specific areas. The available information indicates that the safe seafood goal has been achieved for the Barents Sea–Lofoten area, and partially achieved for the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea–Skagerrak.

• Harvesting activities and natural resource use that provide a high long-term yield within sustainable limits will be facilitated.

Norway splits fish stocks into three categories, depending on how good the knowledge base is for each stock. Goals have been set for each of the three categories, for example on value creation (depending on the knowledge available), stock status, harvesting goals and so on. The underlying principle is that the more information we have about a stock, the more precisely it can be managed with the aim of ensuring a high long-term yield within sustainable limits. Thus, the goal of facilitating high long-term yields is considered to have been achieved.

Petroleum activities

• Steps will be taken to facilitate the long-term profitable production of oil and gas. Petroleum activities will be carried out within a predictable framework and on the basis of health, environment and safety requirements and standards that are adapted to environmental considerations and the needs of other industries.

The oil and gas industry is Norway’s largest measured in terms of value added. For many years, there has been substantial a cash flow from oil and gas production, 80 % of which accrues to the Norwegian state as net tax revenues. The goal for value creation from the industry is thus considered to have been achieved.

Offshore renewable energy

• The development of offshore renewable energy production will be facilitated, taking into account environmental considerations and other activities.

Since the previous white paper on the management plans was published, more progress has been made on facilitating the development of offshore wind production. The Government’s ambition is to allocate licences for 30 GW of offshore wind production capacity by 2040. The areas Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II were opened for licence applications in 2020 (4.5 GW). A strategic environmental assessment for new offshore wind areas has been initiated to provide the information needed for decisions on whether to open further areas. It is difficult to determine whether the goal relating to environmental considerations has been achieved before environmental impact assessments have been completed for relevant areas and experience has been gained from the first commercial developments. The goal for offshore renewable energy production is considered to have been partially achieved.

Maritime transport

• Favourable conditions will be provided for safe, secure, effective and environmentally friendly maritime transport.

The number of low- and zero-emission vessels is showing a positive trend. A number of maritime safety measures have also been adopted and/or implemented, and their overall effect will be to improve maritime safety and reduce the forecast likelihood of accidents. However, this is a complex goal involving a number of elements that do not necessarily all follow the same trend, and it is therefore not possible to draw a clear conclusion on progress towards achieving the goal.

9.1.2 Goals for biodiversity and ecosystems

A number of management measures have been or are being implemented to achieve the goals of the ocean management plans. However, a number of the goals are yet to be achieved, and in some cases is difficult to assess. Information from monitoring and mapping is used as part of the basis for assessing progress towards the goals. Where the necessary data is not available, the conclusion is that it is uncertain whether the relevant goal has been achieved.

General goals

• Norway’s seas and oceans will be managed in a way that maintains diversity at ecosystem, habitat, species and genetic levels, and the productivity of ecosystems. Human activity in the management plan areas will not damage the structure, functioning or productivity of ecosystems.

Continuous efforts are being made to achieve this general goal through work on the ocean management plans and measures introduced under sectoral legislation. Progress has not been assessed specifically for this general goal, but is discussed for the more specific goals in the text below.

Management of particularly valuable and vulnerable areas

• In particularly valuable and vulnerable areas, activities will be conducted with special care and in such a way that the ecological functioning and biodiversity of these areas are not threatened.

• The management regime will take special account of the need to protect vulnerable habitat types and species in particularly valuable and vulnerable areas.

Regulatory measures and guidelines apply to a number of these areas to ensure that special caution is exercised to protect valuable habitats and species. It is difficult to evaluate whether this goal has been achieved because too little information is available on how the ‘special care’ requirement is being met in practice.

Species and habitat management

• Naturally occurring species will exist in viable populations that provide for sufficient reproductive capacity and long-term survival.

This goal has been achieved for zooplankton, the major commercial fish stocks and most marine mammals. It is uncertain whether it has been achieved for the benthic fauna and non-commercial fish stocks. The goal has not been achieved for seabirds.

• Species that are essential to the structure, functioning, productivity and dynamics of ecosystems will be managed in such a way that they are able to maintain their role as key species in these ecosystems.

This goal is considered to have been achieved for the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea and Skagerrak. It has only been partially achieved for the Barents Sea–Lofoten area, where stocks of key species such as polar cod (Boreogadus saida) and redfish are very weak and are showing a negative trend. Only the capelin stock is showing a clearly positive trend.

• Harvested species will be managed within safe biological limits so that their spawning stocks have good reproductive capacity.

The goal is considered to have been achieved for commercially harvestable stocks in the North Sea–Skagerrak and the Norwegian Sea. The situation for the smaller commercial stocks in the North Sea–Skagerrak is uncertain. The goal is considered to have been only partially achieved for small stocks in the Norwegian Sea, because the stocks of golden redfish and blue ling are very weak.

In the Barents Sea, the goal has been partially achieved for harvestable stocks. It has been achieved for red king crab and most commercially harvestable fish stocks, but not for redfish and coastal cod.

• Populations of endangered and vulnerable species and species for which Norway has a special responsibility will be maintained or restored to viable levels.

The conservation status of a number of species is assessed as poorer in 2021 than in 2015. In addition, new marine species have been added to the Red List. The negative trend for seabirds has not been reversed since the previous white paper on the ocean management plans was published. This goal is not considered to have been achieved.

• The introduction and spread of alien organisms through human activity will be avoided.

The westward spread of red king crab has been contained, stabilising the western limit of its distribution. This is an improvement from 2010, and the goal is considered to have been achieved for this species. There is inadequate monitoring of alien organisms that are spread with ballast water or on ships’ hulls, so that it is not possible to assess progress towards the goal for such species. Overall, it is uncertain whether this goal has been achieved.

• In marine habitats that are particularly important for the structure, functioning, productivity and dynamics of ecosystems, activities will be conducted in such a way that all ecological functions are maintained.

Progress towards this goal has not been specifically assessed. However, there is further discussion of ecosystem condition and impacts in the three management plan areas in Chapter 3, and of the environmental impacts of the ocean industries in Chapter 5.

• Damage to marine habitats that are considered to be endangered or vulnerable will be avoided.

This goal has been achieved or partially achieved for coral reefs as a result of the prohibition on bottom trawling in their vicinity. We do not have sufficient information to assess whether the goal has been achieved for other vulnerable marine habitats.

Sustainable harvesting

• Management of living marine resources will be based on the principles of sustainable harvesting.

The management of all stocks that are harvested is based on the principles of sustainable harvesting. The goal is considered to have been achieved for commercial stocks.

• Harvesting will not have significant adverse effects on other parts of the marine ecosystem or its structure.

The goal for sustainable harvesting is considered to have been partially achieved. Current harvesting patterns have not been shown to have significant adverse effects on other parts of the marine ecosystem or its structure.

• Bycatches of marine mammals and seabirds will be minimised.

It is uncertain whether bycatches of marine mammals and seabirds have been reduced as far as possible. It is therefore difficult to assess whether this goal has been achieved.

• Living marine resources will be harvested making use of the best available techniques for different types of gear to minimise negative impacts on other ecosystem components such as marine mammals, seabirds and benthic communities.

Continual efforts are being made to improve fishing gear and minimise its impacts on the ecosystem. The goal of making use of the best available techniques is therefore considered to have been achieved.

• Management of fish stocks and other biological resources will be adapted to a changing climate so that stocks are maintained at sustainable levels.

Progress towards this goal has not been specifically assessed. However, there is further discussion, among other things of fisheries management, in Chapter 5.

Marine protected areas

• A representative network of well-managed marine protected areas that will improve ecological connectivity will be established in Norwegian waters.

The goal of establishing representative and well-managed marine protected areas that will improve ecological connectivity has been only partially achieved, mainly because the areas involved are small (for example limited to a coral reef complex) and are scattered across large marine areas along the coast. The goal of protecting areas that form ecologically effective networks has not been achieved, partly because it has proved to be challenging to implement the 2004 national marine protection plan. This means that conservation areas, except to some extent coral reefs, do not form a representative network that ensures conservation of the full range of habitat types in an area, and will not ensure adequate ecological connectivity. Efforts to achieve this goal include implementing measures set out in the white paper Norway’s integrated plan for the conservation of areas of special importance for marine biodiversity, Meld. St. 29 (2020–2021).

Climate change and ocean acidification

• When marine ecosystems are used as carbon sinks, the need to maintain biodiversity and natural ecosystem functions will be taken into account.

This goal sets out a precautionary approach to future activities – no such activities have as yet been initiated in Norwegian waters.

No decisions have so far been made to start activities such as kelp cultivation in Norwegian waters with the aim of enhancing biological carbon storage. In addition, there is a general lack of data on the potential for biological carbon storage. Thus, there is no adequate basis for assessing the extent to which this goal has been achieved.

• The cumulative impacts of human activities on habitats and species that are adversely affected by climate change or ocean acidification (e.g. coral reefs) will be minimised, in order to maintain ecosystem functioning as fully as possible.

We lack sufficient information to assess whether this goal has been achieved.

9.1.3 Goals for pollution, marine litter and the risk of acute pollution

General goals

• Releases and inputs of pollutants to the management plan areas will not result in injury to health or damage the productivity of the natural environment and its capacity for self-renewal. Activities in these areas will not result in higher levels of pollutants in seafood.

Progress has not been assessed for this general goal, but is discussed for the more specific goals in the text below.

Hazardous and radioactive substances

• Environmental concentrations of hazardous and radioactive substances will be reduced to background levels for naturally occurring substances and will be close to zero for synthetic substances. Releases and inputs of hazardous or radioactive substances will not cause these levels to be exceeded.

Hazardous substances in Norwegian waters originate mainly from long-range pollution carried with ocean currents and in the atmosphere.

For pollutants in operational discharges from offshore petroleum activities, progress towards the goal varies between sea areas. Operational discharges from petroleum activities in the Barents Sea are limited and not on a scale that is expected to result in rising background levels of oil or other environmentally hazardous substances over time.

Levels of pollution in the Norwegian Sea are considered to be low, and there have been no appreciable changes in inputs of oil or other environmentally hazardous substances from petroleum activities. However, there is still uncertainty about the potential adverse impacts of these discharges.

Operational discharges from petroleum activities in the North Sea are substantial, and are resulting in rising background levels of oil and other environmentally hazardous substances and naturally occurring substances over time. However, little is known about any adverse impacts of these discharges.

Under normal circumstances, operational discharges from shipping consist mainly of oil in bilge water. Almost 90 % of oil separation systems on ships meet the requirement that the oil content of discharged water must not exceed 15 ppm. In addition, there is some unregulated discharge of stern tube lubricants from all ships, but less is known about these releases, and estimates of quantities are uncertain.

An overall evaluation of inputs and levels of hazardous and radioactive substances in Norwegian waters shows that this goal has not been achieved, and inputs of priority hazardous and radioactive substances are still occurring.

• Releases and use of substances that pose a serious threat to health or the environment in Norwegian waters will be continuously reduced with a view to eliminating them.

Reductions have been made in the use and releases of many of the persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances on the priority list since the previous white paper on the ocean management plans was published. For many of the priority substances, the main source of releases is now believed to be imported products. This goal is not considered to have been achieved.

• Operational discharges from activities in the management plan areas will not result in damage to the environment, higher levels of pollutants in seafood, or elevated background levels of oil, naturally occurring radioactive substances or other environmentally hazardous substances over time.

See the section above on the goal relating to environmental concentrations of hazardous and radioactive substances. There is considerable uncertainty relating to the effects of operational discharges from activities in the management plan areas.

Inputs of nutrients, sediment deposition and organic matter

• Anthropogenic inputs of nutrients, sediment deposition and inputs of organic matter will be limited in order to avoid significant adverse impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems in the management plan areas.

Anthropogenic inputs of nutrients to all Norwegian marine and coastal waters are rising. At the same time, the climate is changing, with higher temperatures and more intense precipitation, resulting in higher inputs from land as well. Inputs of nutrients have had negative environmental impacts (eutrophication, sediment deposition, water darkening) in certain areas along the coast. The goal is therefore only considered to have been partially achieved.

Marine litter

• Inputs of waste and microplastics to the management plan areas will be avoided.

Large quantities of litter and microplastics are being registered at many localities along the coast, in trawls, during mapping of the seabed and in the stomachs of seabirds and other animals. This goal is not considered to have been achieved.

• Waste quantities in marine and coastal areas will be reduced by means of clean-up operations where appropriate.

Public and private grant schemes and national projects promote action to reduce marine litter through the removal of litter and preventive measures. The Directorate of Fisheries organises an annual retrieval programme for lost fishing gear. However, an overall assessment of current knowledge indicates that the goal has not been achieved. Information from the clean-up measures that have been introduced shows no reduction in the quantities of beach litter.

Underwater noise

• Activities entailing a noise level that may affect species’ behaviour will be limited to avoid the displacement of populations or other effects that may have negative impacts on the marine ecosystem.

Measures have been implemented to limit the negative impacts of seismic activities, shipping and military sonar. However, too little is known about the scale of underwater noise and its impacts. It is uncertain whether the goal has been achieved.

Risk of environmental damage as a result of acute pollution

• The risk of damage to the environment and living marine resources from acute pollution will be kept at a low level and continuous efforts will be made to reduce it further.

It is difficult to assess whether the goal of reducing the risk of damage from acute pollution has been achieved. The likelihood of accidents that result in significant environmental damage is generally low, but the consequences of a major spill could be very serious. The level of risk is always uncertain, since potential future events are being considered. There is also uncertainty as regards the extent to which preparedness and response systems will reduce the consequences of accidents in practice. In the paragraphs below, progress towards the goal of reducing the risk of environmental damage as a result of acute pollution is assessed for different sectors.

Shipping: The Norwegian Coastal Administration’s analysis of the environmental risk associated with shipping in Norwegian waters (2022) shows that the level of risk is high or very high in many areas near the coast and on the continental shelf. The risk of accidents occurring is low, but the consequences of a major spill could be very serious for a number of species at certain times of year, and many species are therefore considered to face a high level of environmental risk.

The goal of ensuring a low level of risk of damage to the environment and living marine resources is considered to have been partially achieved for the shipping sector. According to the analysis of environmental risk, the level of environmental risk has shown a weak downward trend from 2017 to 2019. However, if 2020 is included, there appears to have been a weakly rising trend in risk from 2017 to 2020. This is a result of adverse effects caused by several physical properties of the new low-sulphur fuels.

Petroleum activities: The probability of a large spill is low, and the current legislation for petroleum activities is designed to deal with safety issues. The risk of accidents is therefore considered to be low in all three management plan areas. However, an accident could have major consequences. The risk of serious consequences is highest in the Barents Sea, where seabirds in particular occur in large numbers and are vulnerable to any oil spills. A steep decline has been observed for various species and colonies, and they are therefore especially vulnerable to further pressure. In the Norwegian Sea and North Sea, the potential for environmental consequences in the most vulnerable areas is limited for many petroleum operations. Using the information available, we cannot conclude that the goal of ensuring a low level of risk of damage to the environment and living marine resources has been achieved for the Barents Sea, but it is considered to have been partially achieved for the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea. However, given the very low likelihood of a serious incident, achievement of the goal in itself does not give a full picture of whether operations are responsible in environmental terms.

Radioactivity: The volume of nuclear-powered shipping in all three geographical areas is rising, as is the volume of radioactive cargo in the Russian part of the Barents Sea. The goal of reducing the risk of environmental damage from these activities is therefore not considered to have been achieved.

• The high safety level in maritime transport will be maintained and strengthened

Shipping is generally a safe form of transport, but any maritime traffic involves a certain level of risk. In recent years, the number of incidents involving small discharges to the sea registered in the Norwegian Maritime Authority’s accident database has increased, but much of the increase is probably explained by greater willingness to report such releases. A number of maritime safety measures have also been adopted and implemented, and their overall effect will be to reduce the expected likelihood of accidents in the years ahead.

This goal is considered to have been achieved as regards measures to maintain and strengthen the high level of maritime safety, and partially achieved as regards the trend in the number of accidents (both involving and not involving releases of pollutants), and as regards port state control.

• The governmental preparedness and response system for acute pollution will be adapted to and dimensioned on the basis of the level of environmental risk at any given time.

The governmental preparedness and response system for oil spills from shipping is dimensioned on the basis of the results of several environmental risk and preparedness and response analyses published in 2009–2014. Measures in an action plan based on the preparedness and response analysis for the mainland Norwegian coast have been implemented, while many of those in an action plan for the waters around Svalbard and Jan Mayen still remain to be implemented.

New analyses of the likelihood of accidents, environmental risk and preparedness and response were carried out in 2021–2022, and identified gaps between appropriate and actual preparedness levels in Norwegian waters. The analyses showed that it is not realistic to close all the gaps by altering or adapting the existing preparedness and response system. This has been followed up by developing an action plan containing measures to reduce and eliminate the gaps, which will be implemented in the coming years. The goal is therefore only considered to have been partially achieved.

The national nuclear emergency preparedness and response system for Norwegian waters has been strengthened to some extent, but is still inadequate as regards the resources available for monitoring and measuring radioactivity and the action that can be taken to prevent releases of radioactivity from disabled ships. The goal that the system will be adapted to and dimensioned on the basis of the level of environmental risk at any given time is therefore only considered to have been partially achieved.

9.2 Updating the structure and organisation of the goals

The goals for the ocean management plans have gone through several stages of development since 2002. The Forum for Integrated Ocean Management, partly in connection with reporting on progress towards the goals, has found ambiguities, wording that needs interpretation and adjustment, and a need to supplement the existing goals. It will therefore be appropriate to carry out an overall review to ensure that the goals are updated and adapted to developments in Norway’s ocean management regime.

The aim of this process, involving tightening up and adjusting the goals and updating their structure and organisation, will be to reduce the need for interpretation, reduce overlap between goals and make it easier to assess progress towards the goals. Restructuring the goals will also make assessments of progress towards the goals more systematic and verifiable over time. The process may also reveal thematic areas where there is a lack of operational goals, making it possible to include new goals where such gaps are identified.

A clearer thematic and hierarchical structure for the goals will create an overall framework that clarifies the links between the ocean management goals and the knowledge base.

The thematic areas of the goals should as far as possible reflect the areas dealt with in the scientific basis for the management plans. The inclusion of new thematic areas such as physical disturbance, cumulative impacts, the coexistence of different industries and climate change should therefore be considered during the restructuring process.