The Blue Potential on Svalbard: A New Hub for Arctic Fisheries?

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

SVALFISH

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2020

End date

12/31/2023

Budget

897,285 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

There is an increasing focus on the potential for 'blue' economy' in the Arctic, that is sustainable use of marine resources for economic growth. However, there is limited knowledge on how to exploit this potential. This is especially true for the Svalbard archipelago, notably the community of Longyearbyen, which has been undergoing a transformation from a mining community towards a multi-functional 21st century Arctic hub. Fisheries and greater utilization of this already abundant activity by allowing landings on Svalbard is hailed as one possible avenue, advantageous for the local population and thereby Norway's Arctic presence. Questions remain as to the potential for and profitability of such activity, not least given the unique governance structures on and around Svalbard. Together with key business actors with an interest in this activity, we ask: what conditions determine the feasibility of an emerging fishing industry on Svalbard? The objective of the SVALFISH project is to improve knowledge regarding a possible fishing industry in Svalbard, and under what conditions new activity in this part of the Arctic might expand, in turn enhancing knowledge in businesses and among decision-makers. First, we investigate the distribution of central fish and shellfish stocks in the Barents Sea, like cod, shrimp and snow crab, as well as the localization of fishing activities in recent years - is more fish present and more fishing activity taking place in the northern ocean areas around Svalbard? Next, we study the legal, political and economic framework conditions for landing, processing and export of fish. Finally, we discuss the potential effects for the local community on the archipelago. Midway into the project period, it seems unrealistic that a significant share of the Barents Sea fish resources will be landed on Svalbard. Fisheries in the area are moving northwards, but primarily northeastwards. It is mostly the Russian fishing fleet that is operating in the northern parts of the Barents Sea, and the Russian shipowners have well-established transport and sales channels whereby the fish is frozen and often processed onboard and transshipped to transport vessels that deliver the fish products directly to the European continent. However, there appears to be a market for more small-scale landings of fish to the local market in Svalbard, e.g. related the tourist industry, and there is still not sufficient knowledge about the potential for landing of snow crab in Svalbard, which might be bigger than for fish.