Opening statement at the Reykjavik conference on responsible fisheries in the marine ecosystem

OPENING STATEMENT

THE REYKJAVIK CONFERENCE ON RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES IN THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM,

Reykjavik 1 ^st> – 4 ^th> October 2001

Excellencies, honourable participants, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure for me and a great honour for Norway and the Norwegian delegation at the Conference to have the opportunity to give this opening address.

This Conference has the scope of becoming the major global event setting the future guidelines for an ecosystem approach to world fisheries management.

Norway welcomes this conference, we commend FAO for arranging it, and Iceland for hosting it and for their great financial and other support to the conference. Norway is happy to have been able to part-take as co-sponsor contributing to making this conference possible.

Norway is highly dependent on the sustainable harvesting of our living marine resources. The fish, the seals, the whales and all other sources of food, trade and livelihood that the sea provides, is the only reason why the Norwegian coast was populated in the first place. This tradition, this knowledge, and the coastal settlement are thus the backbone of our present economy; oil, gas, shipping, fishing and aquaculture. All predictions indicate that the importance of our marine cluster will increase in national importance in the future. The challenges ahead to make this come true are immense.

Only by balancing growth, use and protection can our vision become reality.

Our vision, boldly phrased "Values from the Ocean. The Norwegian Future" requires careful but courageous decisions. Norway and a number of other nations are developing their aquaculture industry to levels not known before. The demand for increased supply of seafood, and the advancements in technology increase the pressure on the living marine resources, on the coastal zone, and on the marine ecosystem as a whole.

That is why this conference is so important. That is why the timing is now.

The awareness about the ecosystem and the need to develop guidelines through international processes, both on global and regional levels, require bold decisions and bold actions from all our governments. Only if we act together can results be achieved.

Therefore, the great attendance of so many countries at the Conference being brought together is a great opportunity. Here are all the World’s important fisheries and aquaculture producers being represented, many with their foremost representatives in this area. This creates the possibility for us to break new ground.

The Conference is an opportunity – an opportunity that has to be embraced – to agree on a framework for managing our living marine resources within an ecosystem context.

It is the wish and expectation of Norway that the outcome of the Conference will be :

• A common understanding of what constitutes a marine ecosystem
• A common understanding of what are the benefits and opportunities of an ecosystem based management of the living marine resources
• A common understanding of how the living marine resources may contribute to food security
• A common understanding of what are the main elements of ecosystem based management
• A common understanding of what are the main obstacles to applying an ecosystem approach to the management of living marine resources
• A common understanding of which steps should be taken at national, regional and global levels to promote ecosystem based management
• A common understanding of what should be the role of the scientific community, the national governments, the FAO in developing the knowledge, and the legal and institutional framework for applying ecosystem management, and
• A common understanding of the need to assist developing countries in capacity building.

I promise you all that Norway will act constructively and positively in the deliberations in the days to come to promote a result towards this end.

The Norwegian delegation thus looks forward with great expectations to the next four days. It will be four days of hard work. The Scientific Symposium will provide better knowledge towards a common understanding of the dynamics of the marine ecosystem, of the role of man in the marine ecosystem and most important to managers; the incorporating of ecosystem considerations in fisheries management. Excellent and prominent scientists will guide us through the sessions.

It will be a challenge to us during the Conference plenary sessions, to use the highlighted knowledge provided to us, and to discuss and develop a declaration that sets the stage for the future national and international implementation of the principles of an ecosystem based management of the living marine resources in practical fisheries management.

I welcome the great effort undertaken by the Conference Steering Committee, the Conference Scientific Committee, the Reykjavik Executive Committee, the FAO Staff and all experts presenting papers and posters. Their work has paved the ground.

It is our challenge to transform their efforts into a Conference of Prominence, a Conference of Results, a Conference of Importance. Not to us, but to our Oceans and our living Marine Resources.

I therefore challenge all nations present, through their distinguished representatives, as well as all intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, to participate and contribute towards a result we all can be proud of and benefit from in the time to come.

Finally, Excellencies, honourable participants, ladies and gentlemen. I know from experience that our Icelandic hosts are the most hospitable and generous host anyone can imagine. We can therefore look forward not only to four busy days but also indeed four pleasant days. Norway is happy to be able to return some of the Icelandic friendliness by inviting all participants to a reception on Wednesday night.

I look forward to the days ahead of us.

Thank you for your attention.