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Scoping report: estimating bird sensitivity to Trollvind offshore wind farm
Get PDFOllus, V. M. S., Ballesteros, M., Tarroux, A., Buckingham, L., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Moe, B., Reiertsen, T. K., Systad, G. H. R. & Fauchald, P. 2023. Scoping report: estimating bird sensitivity to Trollvind offshore wind farm. NINA Report 2286. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.
Equinor is exploring possibilities for constructing a floating offshore wind farm, Trollvind, in the northern North Sea, approximately 65 km off the Norwegian coast. This scoping report investigates which bird species use the area and assesses their sensitivity to wind farms. Indicators of bird sensitivity are compiled based on species’ habitat preference models and indices for sensitivity to wind farms. The sensitivity indices used in the present report do not quantify the vulnerability of bird populations to the proposed wind farm. However, they combine the best available data and knowledge and were used to assess the relative sensitivity of birds in the Trollvind area compared to the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at large, as well as to identify the most sensitive species and seasons.
The construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of marine wind farms have the potential to negatively affect birds using the area. The most obvious risks are direct mortality from birds colliding with turbine blades or other parts of the turbines, displacement of birds from the wind farm and neighbouring areas, and habitat alteration. Species-specific traits determine whether collision or displacement is the preponderant risk for a species.
The study area includes the planned wind farm site, and a buffer zone of 10 km. Species distribution was modelled within the EEZ for 58 species of seabirds and other waterbirds in four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), based on observational and tracking data. These species distribution models were used to model species’ habitat preference in the EEZ. Species-specific sensitivity indices were calculated based on factors known to affect individual birds’ and populations’ general sensitivity (e.g., conservation status and adult survival) and sensitivity specifically to wind farms (e.g., proportion of time spent flying and response to wind farms). Habitat preference models were then combined with species-specific sensitivity indices to yield models of species’ sensitivity to offshore wind farms. Values were extracted for our study area, and species sensitivity, seasonal bird sensitivity, and total bird sensitivity were estimated relative to sensitivity in the EEZ.
The results indicate below-medium to medium total sensitivity of birds in the study area. The study area reflects the overall pattern in bird sensitivity seen for the whole EEZ, with sensitivity decreasing with increasing distance to the coast. Highest seasonal sensitivity was found in summer, with the model showing above-medium values in the parts of the study area closest to the Norwegian coast. Lowest sensitivity was found in winter, when below-medium sensitivity was found in the whole study area. Several gull species (Larus spp.), terns (Sterna spp.), European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), great skua (Stercorarius skua), and black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) are among the species most sensitive to collision in the study area. Among the species in highest risk of displacement, and consequently habitat loss, we find divers (Gavia spp.), brant goose (Branta bernicla), and common guillemot (Uria aalge). The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and northern gannet (Morus bassanus) are also among the most sensitive species in the area, and though they may be displaced by wind farms, their risk of collision pre-dominates.
We conclude that the sensitivity of seabirds and other waterbirds in the Trollvind study area ranges from below-medium to medium compared to the rest of the EEZ. Birds are most sensitive in summer and in the eastern and north-eastern parts of the study area. The number of species using the area is also highest in summer. The most sensitive species in the Trollvind area vary between seasons due to seasonal migration and changes in habitat use. Sensitive species include both locally breeding species and species that breed elsewhere and use the area for migration or as a non-breeding habitat.Ollus, V. M. S., Ballesteros, M., Tarroux, A., Buckingham, L., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Moe, B., Reiertsen, T. K., Systad, G. H. R. & Fauchald, P. 2023. Fugl og sårbarhet for havvindanlegg - en scoping rapport for Trollvind havvindpark. NINA Rapport 2286. Norsk institutt for naturforskning.
Equinor utforsker mulighetene for å bygge en flytende havvindpark, Trollvind, i den nordlige Nordsjøen, omtrent 65 km utenfor norskekysten. Denne scoping-rapporten undersøker hvilke fuglearter som bruker området og vurderer deres sensitivitet for vindparker. Indikatorer for sensitivitet er satt sammen av empiriske modeller av artenes habitatpreferanse og indekser for sensitivitet for vindparker. Sensitivitetsindeksene kvantifiserer ikke fuglebestandenes sårbarhet for den foreslåtte vindparken, men de kombinerer data og kunnskap for å vurdere fuglenes relative sensitivitet i Trollvind-området sammenlignet med resten av norsk økonomisk sone. I tillegg blir indeksene brukt til å identifisere de mest følsomme artene og årstidene.
Bygging, drift, vedlikehold og avvikling av marine vindparker har potensiale til å påvirke fugler som bruker området negativt. De mest åpenbare risikoene er direkte dødelighet som følge av kollisjon med turbinblader eller andre deler av turbinene, fortrengning av fugler fra områdene i og rundt vindparken og endringer i fuglenes leveområde. Hvilken faktor som har størst betydning, kollisjon eller fortrengning, er bestemt av artsspesifikke egenskaper.
Studieområdet omfatter den planlagte vindparken og en buffersone på 10 km. Utbredelse ble predikert i norsk økonomisk sone for 58 arter av sjøfugl og andre vannfugl i fire årstider (vår, sommer, høst og vinter). Modeller for utbredelse var basert på observasjons- og sporingsdata, og ble brukt til å predikere artenes habitatpreferanse i norsk økonomisk sone. Artsspesifikke sensitivitetsindekser ble satt sammen av faktorer som er kjent for å påvirke generell sensitivitet (f.eks. rødlistestatus og voksenoverlevelse), samt spesifikk sensitivitet for vindparker (f.eks. andel tid brukt på flyging og reaksjon på vindparker). Modellert habitatpreferanse ble kombinert med artsspesifikke sensitivitetsindekser for å gi arealbaserte indekser for sensitivitet for havvind-parker. Data ble hentet ut fra studieområdet, og total sensitivitet, sensitivitet i ulike årstider, og artsspesifikk sensitivitet ble beregnet relativt til sensitivitet i norsk økonomisk sone.
Resultatene indikerer under middels til middels total sensitivitet for fugler i studieområdet sammenlignet med norsk økonomisk sone. Studieområdet gjenspeiler det overordnede mønsteret i fuglesensitivitet sett for hele norsk økonomisk sone, og avtar med avstanden fra kysten. Høyest sensitivitet ble funnet om sommeren, hvor modellen viser over middels verdier i de delene av studieområdet som ligger nærmest norskekysten. Lavest sensitivitet ble funnet om vinteren med under middels sensitivitet i hele studieområdet. Flere måkearter (Larus spp.), terner (Sterna spp.), havsvale (Hydrobates pelagicus), storjo (Stercorarius skua) og krykkje (Rissa tridactyla) er blant de artene som er mest sensitive for kollisjon i studieområde. Blant artene med høyest risiko for fortrengning, og følgelig tap av habitat, finner vi dykkere (Gavia spp.), ringgås (Branta bernicla) og lomvi (Uria aalge). Havhest (Fulmarus glacialis) og havsule (Morus bassanus) er også blant de mest følsomme artene i området, og selv om de også kan bli fortrengt av vindparker, er risikoen for kollisjon dominerende.
Vi konkluderer at sensitiviteten for sjøfugl og andre vannfugl i Trollvind området varierer fra under middels til middels sammenlignet med resten av norsk økonomisk sone. Høyest sensitivitet finner vi om sommeren og i de østlige og nordøstlige delene av studieområdet. Antall arter som bruker området er også høyest om sommeren. De mest sensitive artene i Trollvindområdet varierer mellom årstidene på grunn av migrasjon og endringer i habitatbruk. Sensitive arter omfatter både lokalt hekkende arter og arter som hekker andre steder og som migrerer gjennom området eller bruker det til overvintring
“…not without experience!”. Friluftsliv teachers’ education and reflections on competence in the light of actual accidents in Norwegian upper secondary school
Get PDFDenne artikkelen undersøker utdanning og refleksjoner om friluftslivskompetanse og sikkerhet blant lærere med ansvar for friluftsliv i aktivitetslære på utdanningsprogram for idrettsfag. Studien har et sekvensielt mixed method design. Data fra en spørreundersøkelse besvart av 30 % av landets friluftslivslærere på aktivitetslære kombineres med analyse av seks fokusgruppeintervju med 41 friluftslivslærere fra samme utvalg. Begrepet profesjonell handlingskompetanse utgjør forståelsesramme for analysen. Studien viser stor variasjon i friluftslivslærernes friluftslivsfaglige utdanningsbakgrunn. Friluftslivslærernes refleksjoner relaterer seg både til betydningen av utdanning, læring i praksisfelleskap, deres egen turerfaring og, for noen få, videreutdannende kurs. I lys av faktiske ulykkeshendelser, skolens ansvar og målsetning om god opplæring som ivaretar sikkerhet i undervisningen, etterspør forfatterne drøfting av tydeligere krav til friluftslivsfaglig utdanningsbakgrunn eller viderekvalifisering for lærere som underviser friluftsliv i videregående skole.This article examines education and reflections on competence and safety among teachers in charge of outdoor recreation education (‘friluftsliv’ in Norwegian) in upper secondary school. The study has a sequential mixed-method design. Data from a survey answered by 30 % of the friluftsliv teachers in Norway are combined with analysis of six focus groups including 41 teachers from the same sample. The study shows that there is wide variation in teachers' formal competence. Teachers' reflections on competence, risk and safety, relate to the importance of formal education, learning in community of practice, and teachers' own experiences from the outdoors and friluftsliv. In light of research on actual accidents, the school's responsibility and educational goals connected to risk and safety in friluftsliv, the authors argue for the need to discuss that clearer requirements of what is needed of formal education and competence for teachers who teach friluftsliv in upper secondary schools are necessary
Elevated plasma phospholipid n-3 docosapentaenoic acid concentrations during hibernation
Get PDFFactors for initiating hibernation are unknown, but the condition shares some metabolic similarities with consciousness/sleep, which has been associated with n-3 fatty acids in humans. We investigated plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles during hibernation and summer in freeranging brown bears (Ursus arctos) and in captive garden dormice (Eliomys quercinus) contrasting in their hibernation patterns. The dormice received three different dietary fatty acid concentrations of linoleic acid (LA) (19%, 36% and 53%), with correspondingly decreased alphalinolenic acid (ALA) (32%, 17% and 1.4%). Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids showed small differences between summer and hibernation in both species. The dormice diet influenced n-6 fatty acids and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentrations in plasma phospholipids. Consistent differences between summer and hibernation in bears and dormice were decreased ALA and EPA and marked increase of n-3 docosapentaenoic acid and a minor increase of docosahexaenoic acid in parallel with several hundred percent increase of the activity index of elongase ELOVL2 transforming C20-22 fatty acids. The highest LA supply was unexpectantly associated with the highest transformation of the n-3 fatty acids. Similar fatty acid patterns in two contrasting hibernating species indicates a link to the hibernation phenotype and requires further studies in relation to consciousness and metabolismpublishedVersio
SDGs at the halfway point: How the 17 global goals address risks and wicked problems
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A synthesis of multi-taxa management experiments to guide forest biodiversity conservation in Europe
Get PDFMost European forests are used for timber production. Given the limited extent of unmanaged
(and especially primary) forests, it is essential to include commercial forests in the conservation of
forest biodiversity. In order to develop ecologically sustainable forest management practices, it is
important to understand the management impacts on forest-dwelling organisms. Experiments
allow testing the effects of alternative management strategies, and monitoring of multiple taxa
informs us on the response range across forest-dwelling organisms. To provide a representative
picture of the currently available information, metadata on 28 multi-taxa forest management
experiments were collected from 14 European countries. We demonstrate the potential of
compiling these experiments in a single network to upscale results from the local to continental
level and indicate directions for future research. Among the different forest types, temperate
deciduous beech and oak-dominated forests are the best represented in the multi-taxa manage ment experiments. Of all the experimental treatments, innovative ways of traditional manage ment techniques (e.g., gap cutting and thinning) and conservation-oriented interventions (e.g.,
microhabitat enrichment) provide the best opportunity for large-scale analyses. Regarding the
organism groups, woody regeneration, herbs, fungi, beetles, bryophytes, birds and lichens offer
the largest potential for addressing management–biodiversity relationships at the European level.
We identified knowledge gaps regarding boreal, hemiboreal and broadleaved evergreen forests,
the treatments of large herbivore exclusion, prescribed burning and forest floor or water ma nipulations, and the monitoring of soil-dwelling organisms and some vertebrate classes, e.g.,
amphibians, reptiles and mammals. To improve multi-site comparisons, design of future experi ments should be fitted to the set-up of the ongoing projects and standardised biodiversity sam pling is suggested. However, the network described here opens the way to learn lessons on the
impact on forest biodiversity of different management techniques at the continental level, and
thus, supports biodiversity conservation in managed forests.publishedVersio
Benchmarking knowledge-based adaptive management of estuarine fisheries in South Africa for sustainable development
Get PDFThe dynamic South African coastline is over 3 000 km long and comprises 290 estuaries and 42 micro-estuaries. These biologically productive habitats provide fishery opportunities for both subsistence and recreational users, making these fisheries important for income creation and food security, especially for vulnerable coastal communities. Unfortunately, most of the sought-after, often large-bodied fish species that are caught in estuaries are overexploited, with some stocks considered as collapsed. The complexity of managing the estuaries in South Africa, together with illegal and unregulated fishing, climate impacts and increased anthropogenic pressures are threatening not only the fisheries but also the livelihoods, and food security in particular, of fishers and their communities.
For the past 20 years, researchers from the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF-SAIAB) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) have investigated the behaviour and vulnerability of prominent estuarine fish species to provide knowledge for improved sustainable management of the fisheries. However, these findings, although important, have had little direct influence on estuarine fisheries policies and regulations in South Africa. This was the impetus for the South Africa/Norway Cooperation on Ocean Research (SANOCEAN) project ‘Benchmarking knowledge-based adaptive management of estuarine fisheries in South Africa for sustainable development’ financed by the South African National Research Foundation, the Research Council of Norway, NRF-SAIAB, NINA and the Institute for Coastal and Marine Research at Nelson Mandela University (NMU).
The project aims to develop recommendations for knowledge-based governance of estuarine fisheries in South Africa to aid sustainable development in this sector. To achieve this goal our interdisciplinary study of estuarine fisheries management included key researchers in the biological, socio-cultural and economic sciences from NRF-SAIAB, NINA, NMU and the University of Strathclyde. We adopt a socio-ecological systems approach that included novel methods that are inclusive of different knowledge systems. Through biological, socio-cultural and socio-economic research, the project aims to guide a more sustainable approach to estuarine management, blue economy policies, resource utilisation and improved resilience of ecosystem services. The purpose of this report is to guide coastal and estuarine managers with key findings and recommendations that will assist in setting fisheries regulations and manage these important systems that benefit communities directly, have high social and cultural value and contribute towards the blue economy in South Africa. With improved regulation and implementation, estuarine resources can be sustainably utilised more equitably and will aid in conserving the estuarine ecosystems and services.
This closeout report provides a summary of the findings of our SANOCEAN project and provides recommendations for adaptive estuarine fisheries management that are knowledge-based and interdisciplinary.
Project conclusions
Estuarine fisheries cannot be managed in isolation by only taking resources and fishers into account. Estuaries must be co-managed as socio-ecological systems that have critical linkages from their catchment areas to the marine environment. A holistic approach to management, supported by multi-disciplinary research that is inclusive of all knowledge systems, is the only way to improve estuarine functioning and allow for the sustainable provision of goods and services.
Key areas that need to be addressed to improve management of estuaries and their resources:
Consistent integration of scientific, practical, Indigenous and local knowledge systems and knowledge holders for an improved understanding of complex social-ecological estuarine ecosystems.
Improved management and law enforcement through capacity development, integration of all stakeholder groups, increased financial resources and funding at all levels of governance.
Strengthen current cooperative governance processes, including policy and legislative coherence to ensure a co-ordinated approach to estuary management.
All stakeholders need to recognise and understand the complicated dynamics of socio-economic inequalities and apartheid legacy issues that continue to marginalise and exclude certain individuals and communities from equitable access to estuaries and their resources to enable a better response to resource use challenges.
Stakeholder processes, methodologies and pathways need to be addressed to allow for users to contribute meaningfully to management processes and stewardship of estuaries. This will reduce tensions and conflict, and build trust.
Inclusion and acknowledgement of multiple benefits and services in fisheries management within estuaries is essential. This would include cultural benefits and health.
Manage and restore vital ecosystem functions through addressing water quality and quantity as a main driver. This could include wastewater treatment management and ecosystem restoration.
Build capacity for research integration in estuarine management to adequately address and manage estuaries as complex socio-ecological systems.
Effective implementation of the proposed new fisheries regulations and the establishment of Estuarine Protected Areas, in close collaboration with estuarine stakeholders, with linkages to the marine environment is essential for sustainable estuarine fisheries.
Scenario planning and adaptive management approaches to address emerging serious threats to estuarine functioning posed by mining activities, both legal and illegal, and alien and invasive species.
Ensure the development and implementation of estuary management plans, which provides a vital tool for facilitating the integrated management of estuaries as socio-ecological systems.
A significant opportunity to enhance the protection of estuaries and their resources is provided in the proposed Estuarine Functional Zone expansion detailed in the 2018 National Biodiversity Assessment - Estuarine Realm.
Present estuary management
The realisation that estuaries are complex systems linked to and affected by catchment and land-use activities, the coastal and marine environment, and human needs and activities, gave rise to the National Estuarine Management Protocol. The effectiveness of any management plan, however, depends on how well it is informed by a range of knowledge systems. A solid knowledge base provides for evidence-based decision-making, and perhaps more importantly allows for flexibility via adaptive management as more knowledge becomes available and/or situations change. This is the key as regime shifts, such as climate change together with ever-increasing demands for resources and other anthropogenic impacts require constant re-evaluation of management objectives and their implementation.
Therefore, the perceptions of role players with regards to current strengths and weaknesses of and solutions to estuarine management in general and estuarine fisheries in particular, were considered to be of key importance in laying the foundation for developing knowledge-based adaptive management recommendations.
Lessons learned:
South Africa has good legislation related to estuary and fisheries management, but a combination of limited capacity (manpower, infrastructure, funding, knowledge) and poor governance (includes poor cooperative governance) mean that mandates and responsibilities are not fulfilled to their full potential.
Non-compliance or lack of self-regulation across the board erodes management efforts.
Estuary management plans (EMPs) are an essential enabler and provide a legally binding framework that facilitates cooperative governance to achieve the management of estuaries as complex socio-ecological systems. They should be simple, clear and concise and indicate the What, Who, Where, When and How of estuary issues and management interventions. As a lever for change, EMPs should be developed for priority systems identified in the National Biodiversity Assessment - Estuarine Realm (NBA), and small rural systems with similar characteristics (physical, functional and socio-economic) can be clustered. In the absence of EMPs, protection of the Estuarine Functional Zone (EFZ) via the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and the use of tools such as the NBA to classify estuaries as Critical Biodiversity Areas or Critically Endangered Ecosystems will reduce the threat to health and functioning.
The identification and appointment of key driven people in key positions (champions) is needed to prioritise and implement estuary management efforts.
Estuaries are complex systems and management interventions, and research needs to adopt an integrated socio-ecological systems approach that takes connectivity (catchment to coast), ecological and biological interactions, and socio-cultural-economic values into account.
Indigenous and local knowledge systems are under-utilised in developing knowledge-based management actions and this leads to the exclusion of communities and end users with the result that trust in government and management authorities is undermined.
Weak institutional functioning resulting from governance challenges and limited capacity means estuary management is not prioritised, there is a lack of institutional memory, bureaucratic delays hamper management efforts and management bodies such as Estuary Management Forums and Coastal Committees are neither representative nor functioning optimally. Key to resolving this is the appointment of champions in key positions, the recognition of the socio-economic importance of estuaries and representative participation in management.
Poor understanding of the importance of estuaries to biodiversity and, more importantly, to social well-being, means that management is not prioritised. Raising awareness amongst all role players via two-way communication and the integration of knowledge from all knowledge systems could help focus government efforts to manage estuaries and encourage compliance amongst end users.
The impact of mining activities needs to be assessed and the environmental authorisation process revisited.
Impacts from land-use and development, including mining, urban development, infrastructure and agricultural practices can be reduced by formal recognition of the expanded EFZ proposed in the NBA and strict application of the EIA process in the zone.
Compliance with regulations and standards for improved water quality is essential. The reduction of contaminated agricultural return flows and discharges from wastewater treatment works alone will go a long way in improving the situation.
The development and implementation of Resource Directed Measures for the NBA-prioritised estuaries should be a priority.
Estuary mouth manipulation may only be done after authorisation of Mouth Management & Maintenance Plans, or under emergency situations. Making the EFZ a no-go area in terms of land-use and development would preclude the necessity or frequency of artificial breaching.
Despite the pending kob species and estuary night-fishing ban, more stringent regulations for key linefish species are needed in combination with formal protected areas and no-take zones, established through meaningful stakeholder engagement processes. However, the efficacy of these actions is reliant on enforcement, for which there is limited capacity, and compliance or self-regulation by end users, which is also in short supply.
The extent of the impact of biological invasions needs to be brought to the attention of authorities so eradication measures can be implemented, and the aquaculture industry and aquarium trade must be better regulated.
Thirteen management themes that encompass the levers for change to address the dominant challenges were identified, namely:
1. Increase capacity to govern
2. Improved compliance
3. Effective governance
4. Institutional functioning
5. Enhanced knowledge sharing and communication
6. Reducing impact of mining
7. Amendment and improved implementation of legislation and frameworks
8. Improved water quality and decreased pollution
9. Water quantity
10. Mouth manipulation
11. Sustainable resource use
12. Responsible land-use and development
13. Control of invasive species.
Fisheries resources
The biological importance of estuaries cannot be overestimated, and immeasurable numbers of larval and juvenile fishes recruit and thrive in these systems. Amongst these are species valuable to estuarine subsistence, small-scale and recreational fisheries, with some being targeted more than others. Most species are distributed throughout South Africa, fall under various International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List categories, are in varying stages of collapse, and have their own management regulations.
The objectives of the estuarine fisheries resources studies have been to gain policy relevant knowledge to address the adaptive management needs of the important estuarine fisheries in South Africa. This has been done by evaluating a series of management options by quantifying patterns of movements, area use and seasonal distributions of fisheries species using data from previous and ongoing studies.
Lessons learned:
South Africa has at least eleven important estuarine fishery species utilised in subsistence, small-scale commercial and recreational fisheries.
Species composition and area use of the species varies among estuaries.
Estuary-dependent fish species are important food and economic resources, which contribute significantly to the socio-cultural-economic sector.
The present fisheries management of important estuary-dependent species must be improved to secure fish stocks and avoid further population depletion and worsened status.
Most fishes targeted in estuarine fisheries are estuary-associated species, spending a large portion of their juvenile life in estuaries, showing a relatively high, but varying, degree of residency to specific estuaries.
While in their estuarine nursery habitat, fish use varying lengths of the estuary with some species being more resident to certain areas (e.g. spotted grunter, Cape stumpnose, white steenbras) than others (e.g. dusky kob, leervis).
Sub-adults and adults of estuarine fishery species, including dusky kob, spotted grunter and leervis, have all been shown to spend more time in estuaries than previously thought.
Juveniles of most species show relatively high levels of residency to their tagging estuaries, with some actively moving between the estuary and adjacent marine environment, as well as to other neighbouring estuaries.
Recaptures of tagged fish show that some of the species are heavily targeted in estuaries, and that fish below the legal size-limits were often retained.
Effective and sustainable management regulations may vary for different species, and to some extent also among estuaries. Management regulations must therefore be tailor-made for the species in question and based on knowledge of the species behaviour and area use.
The threatened status of some of the important estuary-dependent species calls for immediate implementation of effective regulations to secure sustainable use of these valuable resources.
Without sustainable use, future fisheries resources are threatened, with especially severe implications for more marginalised and poor fisher groups.
In the present situation with restricted law enforcement of, and compliance with, fisheries regulations, our studies indicate that no-take estuarine area closures are likely to benefit important coastal fishery species; at least the more resident species, during their obligatory estuary-dependent life-history phase. However, the size, proportion and part of the estuary closed to fisheries will determine the effectiveness of the protected area.
Resource economics of estuarine ecosystem services
Estuaries provide ecosystem services to humans. Ecosystem services are both material (provisioning ecosystem services) and non-material (cultural ecosystem services). Material benefits humans receive from estuaries include food, freshwater, and genetic resources, while the non-material benefits include recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, spiritual experiences, and physical and mental benefits. Fishing occurs in estuaries and sustains local economies and traditions as well as providing basic food. Estuaries also generate employment through tourists who are drawn to estuaries because of the aesthetics and the water sporting activities that they offer. The objective of this part of the project has been to assess the value of provisioning ecosystem services from the estuaries, including both bait collection and fishing by subsistence and recreational users.
Lessons learned:
Estuarine ecosystem services face significant threats and challenges, the majority of which are caused by anthropogenic activities, while others are caused by climate change. Estuaries provide benefits to humans and help them maintain their livelihoods. These benefits can be monetary (provisioning ecosystem services) or non-monetary (cultural ecosystem services), which are valued for the contributions they make to livelihoods and societal well-being.
Most of the research on the value of estuarine ecosystem services is conducted globally, with only a few studies conducted in South Africa, which highlights a significant research gap. This emphasises the importance of increased research effort into the value and conservation of the estuarine ecosystem services in understudied geographic areas.
Our economic valuation estimates provide reliable examples of the economic benefits of keeping estuaries intact, and indirectly pinpoints the value of well-managed estuarine ecosystems to maintain or improve connectivity for fish populations and ecological production, in combination with sustainable utilisation of natural resources in estuaries.
Socio-cultural aspects of estuaries
Another important objective of the project has been to identify the constraints and enablers to management of estuarine fisheries as well as to identify and understand the socio-cultural components that impact the governance of these resources. Recognising that fisheries management is located within estuarine management, we acknowledge the need to approach this work with a social-ecological systems perspective. This component of the study responds to a lack of research on the social-cultural dimensions of estuarine management and aims to identify key social and cultural benefits of estuaries. To advance towards more integrated approaches to estuarine management, which acknowledges economic, social, and cultural priorities alongside biophysical and environmental objectives, this aspect of the research explores the opportunities for alternative knowledge integration into estuarine management, ensuring Indigenous and local knowledge systems inform future estuarine management processes and implementation.
Social-ecological systems approaches to environmental management highlights the need to identify and analyse the links between estuarine ecosystems, estuarine users and environmental challenges. We specifically focus on the specific estuarine resource users and estuarine uses, and their interlinkages with estuarine resources and ecosystems.
Lessons learned:
Estuarine fisheries management is informed primarily by scientific knowledge (over other knowledge systems). Estuarine fisheries systems, as complex social-ecological systems, require a consistent integration of different knowledge systems and knowledge holders to manage them effectively, adaptively and sustainably including not only scientific knowledge, but practical, Indigenous and local knowledge.
Resource users’ connections with estuarine fisheries are complex, multidimensional and often overlap to the extent that understanding users goes beyond the simplified motivations of subsistence or recreation.
Socio-economic inequalities and apartheid legacy issues continue to exclude certain users from equitable estuary access and use. Estuary management needs to recognize and understand these complicated dynamics in order to better respond to resource use challenges.
Structural racism within government institutions and society more broadly, continues to constrain estuarine management measures and sometimes leads to marginalisation and exclusion of certain individuals and communities.
It is at times challenging for local estuarine managers to fulfil their mandates due to limited capacity, executive sponsorship, leadership and poor communication from superiors.
There is a lack of realistic opportunities and support from authorities for estuarine users to engage meaningfully in the management process. Users feel sidelined, which erodes confidence in government and management interventions and processes.
The strong cultural connections that users have to estuaries must be acknowledged, understood and viewed holistically with other uses in order to better inform management.
Social science data fails to inform estuarine management processes and policy due to limited capacity and knowledge flow structures to integrate such data.
There are limited governance structures and capacity to engage stakeholders in a meaningful and inclusive way, which can result in increased social tensions rather than shared knowledge, trust and stewardship of estuaries.
Meaningful and inclusive stakeholder engagement is hampered by bureaucracy and ineffective knowledge flow structures, leading to social tensions, lack of knowledge sharing and the inability of estuar
Amundbekken, Trondheim kommune. Kunnskapsoppsummering av vannmiljø og utvikling i gyte- og oppvekstområder for vandrende nidelvørret
Get PDFBergan, M. A. & Nøst, T. H. 2023. Amundbekken, Trondheim kommune. Kunnskapsoppsummering av vannmiljø og utvikling i gyte- og oppvekstområder for vandrende nidelvørret. NINA Rapport 2291. Norsk institutt for naturforskning.
Denne rapporten gjør en sammenstilling av tilgjengelige vannøkologiske data og oppsummering av kunnskapstatus for Amundbekkens fiskebestand av ørret, bunndyrsamfunn og vannkvalitet. Rapporten sammenstiller data og kunnskap fra fiskebiologiske og vannøkologiske undersøkelser i perioden 2007-2022, som har hatt fokus på problemkartlegging, ungfisktellinger, bunndyrundersøkelser og vannovervåking. Rapportens målsetting er å få bedre samlet kunnskap om vassdragets vann- og miljøtilstand, og få avdekket vassdragets betydning som gyte- og oppvekstområde for vandrende nidelvørret i dag sammenlignet med tidligere. Dette er forvaltningsrelevant kunnskap, som kan inngå i tiltaks-, restaurerings- og verneplaner for å sikre at man oppfyller vannforskriftens krav til miljømål samtidig som viktige funksjonsområder for nidelvørreten ivaretas.
Amundbekken munner til Nidelva ved Nordset, på strekningen mellom Øvre Leirfoss, Nordsetfossen og Fjæremsfossen. Amundbekken har også flere sidevassdrag, der sidegreina Solemsbekken er størst og mest betydningsfull. Et samlet datagrunnlag supplert med historiske opplysninger for vassdragene avdekker et tidligere svært viktig vassdragsystem, med stor betydning for vandrende nidelvørret, som anvender vassdragene som gyteområder, og oppvekstområder for ungfisk. Status i dag er at vassdraget har for stor samlet menneskelig belastning fra mange ulike aktiviteter. Det er fortrinnsvis landbruksaktivitet, veibygging og ras-/erosjonssikring som har ført vassdraget langt vekk fra naturtilstand, både når det gjelder vann- og habitatkvalitet (morfo-logisk tilstand). Denne samlede belastningen har hatt stor negativ effekt for ørreten. Samlet opprinnelig vassdragstrekning (med tilgang for ørret fra Nidelva) i Amundbekken, inkludert alle viktige sidebekker, utgjorde om lag 14 kilometer. Estimatet er et minimum, da det er flere mindre, ukjente sidebekker som kan ha eller har hatt tilgang og produksjon av fisk. Samlet belastning av inngrep og endringer i vassdragene gjør at det i dag er tapt om lag 8,2 kilometer vassdragstrekning for nidelvørreten, og at det gjenstår i underkant av 6,3 kilometer med fortsatt tilgang. Samlet sett utgjør dette et konkret tap på om lag 58 % bekkestrekning for nidelvørreten i hele vassdragsystemet. I vassdragsareal utgjør tapet mer enn 25 000 m² produksjonsareal for nidelvørreten, som opprinnelig var i overkant av 44 000 m². Arealtapet utgjør om lag 56 % sammenlignet med en antatt naturtilstand, før menneskelige inngrep og endringer fant sted.
Det gjenværende, tilgjengelige arealet (på i overkant av 19 000 m²) for nidelvørret i Amundbekken er ikke like produktivt for ørret slik naturtilstanden en gang var. Ulike fysiske inngrep har fjernet viktige, naturlige vassdragskvaliteter som gytesubstrat, skjulmuligheter og andre naturlige elementer i bekkeløpene, samt at stor partikkelbelastning og redusert vannkvalitet over tid har gitt stor nedslamming, som forringer livsvilkår for fisk. Dette har bidratt svært negativt til produksjonevnen for ørret i vassdraget. Ved en korrigering for redusert produksjonsevne i det gjenværende, tilgjengelige arealet for nidelvørreten, sitter man igjen med i overkant av 6 000 m² produktivt areal. Sammenlignet med opprinnelig produktivt areal på mer enn 44 000 m², så utgjør det samlede tapet av produksjonspotensiale på om lag 87% for nidelvørret i dag for Amundbekken med tilknyttede sidebekker. Disse beregningene er imidlertid utført før et uhellsutslipp av husdyrgjødsel skjedde i april 2023. Dersom dette utslippet har hatt negativ (nedslamming) og/eller dødelig effekt for ørret på utslippsbelastede strekninger i Amundbekken, så vil tapet i produksjonspotensiale øke vesentlig mer.
Ved å gjenopprette vandringsveier for nidelvørreten i enkelte deler av vassdraget, samt tilføre rikelig med gytesubstrat der dette er i underskudd, kombinert med styrking av skjul- og oppvekstmulighetene, kan mye av det tapte produksjonspotensialet fortsatt hentes tilbake. Dette forutsetter at det samtidig settes stort fokus på å redusere vannkjemiske belastninger som avrenning fra intensivt drevet landbruksaktivitet i nedbørfeltet til vassdraget, og at miljøskadelige hendelser som gjødsel- eller siloutslipp ikke skjer med jevne mellomrom
A Review of Pink Salmon in the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans
Get PDFThe Northern Hemisphere Pink Salmon Expert Group Meeting was held on October 2–3, 2022 in Vancouver, Canada, immediately preceding the International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Synthesis Symposium. The rapid expansion of pink salmon was the theme for the meeting, and experts came together to discuss the current state of knowledge for pink salmon. Specific topics of focus included the range expansion into the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, trends in distribution and abundance, research and monitoring approaches, potential inter-specific interactions, mitigation efforts, and plans for future collaborations. The outcomes of the meeting were presented at the IYS Synthesis Symposium and are further disseminated through this NPAFC Technical Report. The Executive Summary section of this report provides a brief background, a condensed overview of each topic, and concludes with overarching takeaway messages that are intended to guide future collaborations.publishedVersio
Evaluering av kultivering i Suldalslågen
Get PDFHagen, I.J., Karlsson, S. Bjøru, B., Lo, H., Sægrov, H. & Urdal, K. 2023. Evaluering av kultivering i Suldalslågen. NINA Rapport 2271. Norsk institutt for naturforskning.
Vi har i dette prosjektet evaluert effekten av kultivering av laks i Suldalslågen for gyteårene 2014 og 2015. Videre har vi vurdert om stamfisken representerer gytebestanden slik forvaltningen anbefaler, og vi har benyttet historiske skjellprøver fra 1979 og 1980 til å vurdere genetiske endringer i bestanden over tid.
I Suldalslågen er regulanten pålagt å sette ut 40 000 ettårige smolt årlig, og andel kultivert laks i bestanden har i henhold til fangstrapporter ligget på rundt 40 % de siste årene. Til produksjon av smolt har det blitt benyttet i underkant av 30 stamlaks. For 2014 var stamfisken godt utnyttet med et forholdsvis jevnt bidrag fra hver stamfisk, og effektivt antall stamfisk var for dette året høyere enn faktisk antall som ble benyttet i krysninger. For 2015 ble det observert en større variasjon i antall avkom blant stamfisken, og effektivt antall stamfisk for dette året var derfor lavere enn det antallet som ble krysset.
For de evaluerte gyteårene ble det observert en sterk Ryman-Laikre effekt. I forhold til effektiv bestandsstørrelse i den naturlig produserte andelen av bestanden har kultiveringen redusert den totale effektive bestandsstørrelsen med rundt 51 – 65 % for 2014 og 75 – 82 % for 2015. Årsaken til dette er at effektivt antall stamfisk har vært for lavt i forhold til den relativt tallrike gytebestanden og den høye andelen kultivert laks. Analyser av endringer i bestanden over tid tilsier at den effektive bestandsstørrelsen er redusert i forhold til historiske prøver, og det er sannsynlig at kultiveringen har bidratt til denne reduksjonen i effektiv bestandsstørrelse.
I Suldalslågen har stamfisken vært betydelig større enn gjennomsnittsvekten i sportsfisket, basert på offentlige fangstrapporter. Dette tilsier at stamfisken ikke har vært et tilfeldig utvalg av gytebestanden. En slik kunstig seleksjon er ikke understøttet av forvaltningens anbefalinger. Det er mulig at selektivt fiske med fredning av store naturlig produserte hunnlaks bidrar til forskjellen i størrelse mellom sportsfiske og stamfisk. Fredning av de største individene og høy beskatning kan føre til at stamfisken hentes ut fra en bestand som allerede har vært gjenstand for størrelsesbetinget seleksjon.
Basert på beregnet innsig og andel fellfinneklippet fisk i fangstene de siste årene er det sannsynlig at laksebestanden i Suldalslågen vil kunne oppnå gytebestandsmålet uten smoltutsettinger. Smoltutsettingenes funksjon blir dermed å øke innsiget av laks til vassdraget og det høstbare overskuddet. Basert på et stort kunnskapsgrunnlag som viser inngripende negative effekter på bestanders genetiske tilpasning og produktivitet anbefaler vi på generelt grunnlag at smoltutsettinger ikke bør praktiseres med mindre sjøoverlevelsen er så lav at bestanden ikke er i stand å opprettholde seg selv. Dersom man velger å fortsette med smoltutsettinger i Suldalslågen bør antall smolt som settes ut reduseres samtidig som at flere stamlaks benyttes i krysninger
Development of a Cumulative Impact Assessment tool for birds in Norwegian Offshore Waters: Trollvind OWF as a case study
Get PDFLayton-Matthews K., Buckingham L., Critchley E.J., Nilsson A.L.K., Ollus VMS., Ballesteros M., Christensen-Dalsgaard S., Dehnhard N., Fauchald P., Hanssen F., Helberg M., Masden E., May R.F., Sandvik H., Tarroux A. & Reiertsen T.K. 2023. Development of a Cumulative Impact Assessment tool for birds in Norwegian Offshore Waters: Trollvind OWF as a case study. NINA Report 2295. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.
There is growing interest in the economic potential of marine areas for e.g., offshore renewables, fisheries, and shipping. Thus, the cumulative stress on marine ecosystems and the species inhabiting them is increasing. This is of particular concern for migratory birds and seabirds which are undergoing global declines. In the light of an expanding global market for offshore renewables, knowledge of their cumulative impacts combined with other human-derived pressures on marine populations is crucial. This is set against the backdrop of climate change and associated large-scale changes in our oceans. Achieving sustainable development, while mitigating the effects of climate change, requires effective tools to assess the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic stressors on ecosystems. Cumulative impact assessments for the marine environment are strongly influenced by an approach developed by Halpern et al. (2008).
In this report, we present and demonstrate a beta-version of a cumulative impact assessment tool for marine industrial pressures on seabirds, which is being developed through the Research Council of Norway (RCN) -funded MARCIS project. The goal of MARCIS is to assess the impacts of marine anthropogenic pressures on seabirds in the North-East Atlantic, which will both utilise and further develop the Halpern formula and provide a publicly open web-based tool that acts as a decision support for marine spatial planning. Equinor has been exploring the potential for con-structing a floating offshore wind farm, called Trollvind, in the North Sea. This proposed floating wind farm is in the early planning stages of development and is proposed to be located around the Troll offshore oil and gas platforms, approximately 65 km west of Bergen. This report presents; 1) a summary of a scoping of existing data of birds using Norwegian offshore area, 2) an assessment of bird migration through the North Sea and the Trollvind area, and the likelihood that some bird groups will be more impacted by an offshore wind farm in this area, and 3) a demonstration of the tool under development (the MARCIS web application), where we assess the potential cumulative impact of the proposed Trollvind OWF development and ocean warming on two seabird populations, as a case study. This report has specific emphasis on the demonstration of the tool.
Results of the scoping study of birds using the Norwegian offshore areas indicated a below-medium to medium sensitivity of waterbirds to wind farms in the Trollvind area. However, there were strong seasonal differences showing above-medium values in summer in the eastern and north-eastern parts of the area. Our results also revealed that migratory bird groups differ in their type of risks of impact associated with the Trollvind development, where migrating raptors, gulls, waterfowl and owls were at greatest risk of collision, while migrating seabirds, waterbirds and waders had a higher risk of displacement and/or barrier effects. In the demo of the tool, we estimated the cumulative impact of two stressors (Trollvind OWF and ocean warming) on two study populations (kittiwake breeding at Ålesund colony and common guillemot from Sklinna colony). Both their non-breeding distribution and the cumulative impact of the two stressors was visualised in the demo of the MARCIS App. The impact of Trollvind OWF was negligible for both populations, while disturbance led to a small reduction in guillemots’ body mass and consequently their survival rates. However, ocean warming had a larger population impact, given the high emissions scenario used to quantify impact weights, particularly for guillemots. However, it is important to keep in mind that this demonstration is a case study of only two populations and should be interpreted in the larger context of the results from the scoping study and bird migration studies. The extensive range of species using this area at different times of year are much larger, and this has implementations for a potentially broader impact of such offshore developments. This also highlights the need for both spatial explicit distribution data and demographic/population data to ensure an appropriate knowledge base of population impacts before any OWF developments are conducted.Layton-Matthews K., Buckingham L., Critchley E.J., Nilsson A.L.K., Ollus V.M.S., Ballesteros M., Christensen-Dalsgaard, S., Dehnhard N., Fauchald P., Hanssen F., Helberg M., Masden E., May R.F., Sandvik H., Tarroux A. & Reiertsen T.K. 2023. Development of a Cumulative Impact As-sessment tool for birds in Norwegian Off-shore Waters: Trollvind OWF as a case study. NINA Rapport 2295. Norsk institutt for naturforskning.
Presset på marine områder øker med økende økonomiske interesser for bruk av havområdene. Marine områder har blitt viktige arenaer for industriell utvikling som for eksempel havvind, petroleumsaktivitet, skipstrafikk og fiskeri. I lys av et ekspanderende globalt marked for havvind, er kunnskap om sumeffekter av både havvind, andre marine industriaktiviteter og klimaendringer avgjørende for å sikre en god sameksistens med sjøfugl og trekkfugler som benytter de samme havområdene. Økt utnyttelse av havarealene øker sumeffektene og stresset på marine økosystemer og artene som bor der, sett i lys av klima- og økosystem-endringene som skjer i marine økosystemer. Å oppnå bærekraftig utvikling, samtidig som effektene av klimaendringer reduseres, krever effektive verktøy for å vurdere sumeffektene av menneskeskapte stressfaktorer på økosystemene. Metoder for å estimere sumeffekter for havmiljøet er sterkt påvirket av en tilnærming utviklet av Halpern et al. (2008), som ser på summen av ulike stressfaktorer sin påvirkning på et miljø og miljøets sensitivitet til de ulike stressfaktorene.
I denne rapporten vil vi presentere og demonstrere en betaversjon av et verktøy som kan benyttes i marin arealplanlegging og som kvantifiserer effekter av marin industri aktivitet på sjøfugler. Dette verktøyet utvikles gjennom det forskningsråds-finansierte MARCIS-prosjektet. Målet med MARCIS er å vurdere virkningene av marin industriaktivitet og klimaendringer på sjøfugler i Nordøst-Atlanteren, og vil både benytte og videreutvikle Halpern-metoden. Verktøyet vil bli gjort tilgjengelig som et offentlig åpent nettbasert verktøy, og kan fungere som beslutningsstøtte for marin arealplanlegging.
Equinor har undersøkt potensialet for bygging av en flytende havvindpark, kalt Trollvind, i Nordsjøen. Denne flytende vindparken er i et tidlig planleggingsstadium og foreslås plassert rundt olje- og gassplattformene i Trollfeltet, ca. 65 km vest for Bergen. Denne rapporten presenterer: 1)en oppsummering av en scoping av eksisterende data om fugler som bruker i norsk offshore-område, 2) en vurdering av fugletrekk gjennom Nordsjøen og Trollvind-området, og sannsynligheten for at noen fuglegrupper blir mer påvirket av en havvindpark i dette området, og 3) endemonstrasjon av verktøyet som er under utvikling (MARCIS-webapplikasjonen), der vi vurdererde potensielle sumeffektene av den foreslåtte Trollvind OWF-utbyggingen og havoppvarmingenpå to sjøfuglbestander, som et casestudie. Denne rapporten har lagt spesifikk vekt på demon-strasjonen av verktøyet.
Resultatene av dette studiet indikerte at trekkfugler knyttet til vann (eks. dykkere, lom osv) hadde en under middels til middels følsomhet for havvindparker i Trollvind-området. Det var imidlertid sterke sesongforskjeller som viste over middels verdier om sommeren i østlige og nordøstlige deler av området. Resultatene våre avdekket også at grupper av trekkfugl hadde ulik risiko for å bli påvirket av en havvind-utbygging knyttet Trollvind-området. Trekkende rovfugler, måker, gjess og ender, og ugler hadde størst risiko for kollisjon med turbiner, mens trekkende sjøfugler, andre fugler knyttet til vann og vadefugler hadde høyere risiko for å bli fordrevet fra området eller utsatt for barriereeffekter av havvind-installasjoner. Sum-effektene av to ulike stressfaktorer (Trollvind havvindpark og havoppvarming) ble estimert for to studiepopulasjoner (krykkje og lomvi fra hhv Ålesund og Sklinna) og visualisert i betaversjonen av MARCIS-appen. Effekten av en potensiell havvind-installasjon i Trollvind området var ubetydelig for begge popu-lasjoner, mens fordrivelse fra området førte til en liten reduksjon i lomviens kroppsmasse og dermed effekt på bestandens overlevelsesrate. Havoppvarmingen hadde imidlertid en større påvirkning på bestandene, og spesielt for lomvi. Det er imidlertid viktig å huske på at denne demonstrasjonen er en casestudie av bare to populasjoner og bør tolkes i en større kontekst i lys av resultatene fra scoping-studiet og fugletrekkstudiet. Begge disse viser det omfattende spekteret av arter som bruker dette området, og hvordan mengde og sammensetning av arter varierer til ulike tider av året. Effekten av en offshore havvind utbygging i Trollvind området har dermed en potensielt større effekt. Dette fremhever også behovet for gode data, både romlige distribusjonsdata og data på demografiske rater eller bestandstall for å sikre et godt nok kunnskapsgrunnlag om effekter på populasjoner før eventuelle havvind-utbygginger tar til