Abstract
In this chapter we focus on how changing societal and climatic conditions have consequences for current and future vulnerability and adaptation in three municipalities in Northern Norway: Hammerfest and Lebesby, in Finnmark County, and Vestvågøy in the Lofoten Islands, Nordland County. Through local consultations and discussions, fisheries and municipal planning were identified as having particular relevance in the case communities. Climate change is not perceived to be a major challenge locally, nevertheless, when climate projections are considered alongside locally defined and relevant socio-economic and climatic concerns that are particular to local contexts, multiple and interrelated factors emerge that are likely to shape future vulnerability. Focussing on coastal fisheries and municipal planning as two major arenas for change, we find that adaptation takes place along a number of dimensions and at several societal levels. Adaptive strategies occur in response to changing socio-economic conditions, to variable weather and environmental conditions, or to a combination of both. There are three interlinked factors that our empirical findings show are currently of concern for coastal fisheries: changes in bio-physical conditions (ocean temperature and fish distribution and behaviour); fisheries management and regulations (vessel size, species, quotas) and societal conditions (outmigration, market factors and transfer of knowledge). The interlinkages between these changes, and community responses to them, have first and foremost been captured and understood through local involvement in our research.
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- 1.
Stockfish is produced by drying the fish on outdoor racks. This conserves the fish. Different fish species may be used, but the most common is North Atlantic cod. Successful drying and preservation of the fish requires sufficient quality of raw material and appropriate drying conditions. The Lofoten-region fulfills both of these requirements and has for a long time been the world's largest exporter of stockfish. It is documented that the Lofoten stockfish trade began in 875 AD and in the medieval age it was the most important trade in Norway. The single most important market for Norwegian stockfish is Italy, which has imported stockfish for a century (Berge 1996).
- 2.
The speed ‘sjark’ is a small vessel typically around 30 feet that is built for higher speed than traditional fishing vessels.
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Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge and thank our local partners in Hammerfest, Lebesby and Vestvågøy, especially Tom Eirik Ness, Kåre Tormod Nilsen, Harald Larssen, Toril Svendsen, Odd Birkeland, Tomas Sagen, Kjell Wien, Lill-Astrid Røvik, Jan Erling Akselsen, Kjersti Isdahl, Nils Kaltenborn, Are Johansen, Børge Iversen and Helge Haug for invaluable discussions and interaction throughout the project. Without their engagement and interest the project would not have come to fruition. We also thank the Hammerfest Fisher’s Organisation, Hammerfest Housing Bank and the administration and politicians in the three municipalities for their warm welcome. The research was funded by the Research Council of Norway, under the Norwegian IPY 2007–2008 effort. We are thankful for the support from RCN. Finally we wish to acknowledge Bob van Oort and Jeremy L. White for their unfailing assistance and support.
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Hovelsrud, G.K., Dannevig, H., West, J., Amundsen, H. (2010). Adaptation in Fisheries and Municipalities: Three Communities in Northern Norway. In: Hovelsrud, G., Smit, B. (eds) Community Adaptation and Vulnerability in Arctic Regions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9174-1_2
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