Aerial photo_Bergen1990 (2) DAG RUNE OLSEN: Rector of the University of Bergen (UiB)
SISSEL ROGNE: Director at the Institute of Marine Research (HI)
OLE ARVE MISUND: Director at the National Institute for Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES)
A recent survey about Norwegians' views on marine industries and marine research provides some thought-provoking answers. While 56 percent of us believe that abroad sees us as an oil nation, we ourselves are losing faith in oil: Only 12 percent believe that oil and gas are the marine industry that Norway should primarily focus on.
Instead, most people, 37 percent, say that we should focus on food production such as fishing and aquaculture, while 28 percent say ocean energy, such as offshore wind turbines. In the places behind oil and gas come medicine development from the sea, environmental monitoring, coastal tourism and shipping. In general, a full 85 percent believe that we must focus more heavily on ocean industries in the future.
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The survey was conducted by Opinion among a representative sample of the Norwegian population, commissioned by the Institute of Marine Research and the University of Bergen.
The shift in self-image, from primarily seeing ourselves as an oil and gas nation to highlighting other marine industries, probably has to do with lower oil prices. But also with growing concern about environmental destruction and climate change.
In the same survey, around two-thirds say they are concerned about increased pollution and more extreme weather as a result of climate change. Three-quarters of those surveyed believe that more research is crucial to solving the world's environmental and climate challenges, and around 7 in 10 believe that both governments and businesses should invest more in research.
This desire among the population for a stronger focus on marine industries and research bodes well for the maritime country of Norway and for the maritime city of Bergen.
The University of Bergen, the Institute of Marine Research and the National Institute for Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES) are now collaborating with other stakeholders in Bergen to develop what we have just called Havbyen Bergen, a joint initiative for ocean-related education, research, industry and management. The goal is a collaboration that can help solve the world's challenges in food, medicine and energy, that can develop and create new industries, provide basic research to understand changes in climate and the marine environment, and ensure good management of marine resources.
It's about aquaculture and fishing, but also about the many other opportunities that the ocean can provide.
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Humans have always lived off the ocean, but in the future it will become even more important: The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth's surface, it generates half of the world's biomass, but only two percent of the food we eat comes from here. According to the UN, the world's population will be almost 10 billion by 2050. This requires a drastic increase in world food production. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization states that much of this increase must come from the ocean.
Norway has marine areas that are six times larger than our land area. In 2015, Norwegian fisheries and aquaculture exported NOK 74.5 billion. Salmon and trout accounted for NOK 50 billion of this.
The potential is even greater. According to the perspective analysis "Value creation based on productive oceans in 2050", value creation from fishing, aquaculture and other blue industries could increase sixfold by 2050. And according to the recent OECD report "The Ocean Economy in 2030", the ocean economy could more than double its contribution to global value creation between 2010 and 2030.
For this to happen, growth must take the environment into account. This requires political priorities, well-functioning research and innovation environments, and knowledge-based management.
For example, we must be able to deal with sea lice, escapes and other challenges in the aquaculture industry. We must produce enough marine feed for aquaculture in a sustainable way, which gives us safe and nutritious food. We must harvest and exploit species further down the food chain to a greater extent, and not least use new species for food. At the same time, we must manage the extraction of marine resources in a long-term, good way.
Then research communities, administrative authorities, industry and innovation companies must work together. This is what we do in Havbyen Bergen, where the different communities talk to each other, research and work together.
Western Norway accounts for over half of the marine research and development activity in Norway. Bergen has around 1,000 students and 1,000 researchers in marine sciences. We are the 13th largest marine city in the world measured in the number of scientific publications. Some of the largest aquaculture companies have their headquarters here. Bergen has a supplier industry and a maritime environment with high-tech experience from the oil and gas industry, experience that can, for example, be used to further develop technology in aquaculture and offshore wind turbines.
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The research generates results that can also create new industries: Under the auspices of the innovation network CO2Bio, attempts are being made to produce algae for fish feed, using CO2 capture from Mongstad. In the company Biomega, human food is produced from fish heads and bones, using enzymes found in organisms that live in extreme temperatures on volcanic ocean depths. The biomolecules in such deep-sea organisms can also form the basis for new medicines. Research on farming tunicates, or tunicates, for feed production and possibly as biofuels has shown promising results. Similarly, research at NIFES on insect feed grown on waste from households and slaughterhouses shows great potential.
Through stronger integration of education, research, innovation and industry, these examples can become even more numerous.
Bergen already has a role as a center of gravity for marine and maritime activity in Norway. The survey we referred to earlier also asks what is Norway's natural marine capital. Here Bergen comes out clearly the best. 31 percent of those surveyed answer Bergen, while Tromsø is highlighted in second place by 24 percent.
A new general election is now approaching. What should we focus on in Norway? We believe that our sector stands out. The government is focusing on regional development, and we encourage politicians to continue to make strong national investments in Bergen's marine and maritime research environments, which have both power and implementation capabilities. We will contribute with the necessary knowledge about the sea areas we are assigned to manage, to give us increased value creation in traditional and future marine industries, and to help the world manage an ever-increasing population in a sustainable way.
