Millions of seabirds nest and breed in the Lofoten and Barents Sea area, and numerous species of fish, marine mammals and a diverse array of benhthic life including unique deep-water corals are to be found living in these waters. The Norwegian-Arctic cod stock is the last remaining large, healthy cod stock in the world.

Greenpeace will collect feedback from fishermen and coastal communities, and help them getting their voices heard in the Norwegian Government’s ongoing process to establish an Integrated Management Plan for the Lofoten and Barents Sea. Traditionally, Greenpeace has been seen viewed negatively by local people in Lofoten, primarily over our opposition to Norwegian whaling. However, both fishermen and environmentalists agree that better marine management is needed in this area that is so dependent on a living ocean for its livelihood.

Greenpeace fears that the Norwegian Governments much heralded “Integrated Management Plan” for the Lofoten and Barents Sea areas may become a meaningless document that only opens sensitive areas for oil drilling, without doing anything for better management of immediate and long-term environmental threats to this sensitive and scenic area. If done correctly, this Norwegian oceans management approach may become an important global example for countries serious about their Biodiversity Convention commitments to stop biodiversity loss in ocean areas.

Coastal communities in Norway are being increasingly marginalized and ignored by a government that instead favours the interests of large oil and fishing corporations with their environmentally threatening activities. Clean and healthy oceans are essential for our planet’s survival. The Lofoten and Barents Sea areas are among the last relatively pristine marine habitats on Earth. There is still time to keep it like this, and not create another degraded and industrialised North Sea.

According to the FAO, up to 70% of global commercial fish stocks are already wiped out or threatened . While 12% of the Norwegian landmass has protected area status, less than one percent of the Norwegian ocean areas are protected. The same applies across all oceans in the world. At the moment, destructive activities are allowed at sea that would be deemed criminal on land.

Save the Lofoten Islands!

An Integrated Management Plan for Lofoten and Barents Sea: An opportunity that must not be lost

The State of the World’s Fisheries and Aquaculture 2004. FAO, Rome 2004: www.fao.org/sof/sofia/index_en.htm