Svein Ludvigsen, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries

Address for the opening of Nor-fishing in Trondheim, 7 august 2002

Mine damer og herrer

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to wish you all heartily welcome to Nor-Fishing 2002. I am both pleased and proud that Norway is able to arrange a fisheries exhibition with this standing, size and quality.

In many ways, fishing and aquaculture are international industries. The exhibition we are opening in Trondheim today is an example of this internationalisation.

The diversity of exhibitors at Nor-Fishing is evidence of the multifaceted nature of those among you who serve the fisheries industry in different ways. You exhibitors – Norwegian and foreign – also represent an absolutely vital industry as well as crucial jobs.

However, the basis of this industry is the fish caught in the sea. In Norway there have been great expectations in recent years for increased value adding in the fishing and aquaculture industries. It is estimated that the marine sector has a development potential at a total value for domestic and export sales of 150 billion kroner per year by 2020. The Government also sees the marine sector as an area with particular growth potential, and is implementing measures to foster such development. Among other things we have established a secretariat for the Cabinet's Committee on Marine Development (RMV) of which seven ministers are members.

There are several preconditions for making the most of this large marine potential – some of them are:

• a clean and abundant marine environment
• resource harvesting that is sustainable in the long term
• a commitment to research and product development
• improved market access

Our membership in the WTO, the World Trade Organization, is a priority area for me in the Ministry of Fisheries. The WTO is our most important trade policy arena seen in the long term. Better access to markets and more stable framework conditions will lead to increased processing in Norway, which will have a positive impact on employment in Norwegian coastal municipalities, keeping the local population stable.

Today, seafood competes in a market where consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious and environmentally-aware – and food from clean ocean waters is clearly a competitive advantage. We know that it is not only scientific risk assessments that shape consumer attitudes towards food. Norwegian seafood must therefore not only be safe, but consumers must also perceive it to be safe. This initiates new demands on us, on managers and on the industry; we must not only be good, and pleased with the fact that we know we are good, but the world around us, the market and consumers, must know it, too.

Access to a clean marine environment is fundamental to the fishing and aquaculture industries - not only because of the market, but also because a clean marine environment is crucial for guaranteeing diversity in the sea – and thus the nutritional basis for the fish that we harvest. It is the balance in the sea – the ocean’s ecosystem – that enables the resources to reproduce and that provides us with basis for harvesting.

Here in Norway we have the rights to and responsibilities for some of the world’s most productive coastal and ocean areas. We have a big responsibility for managing these areas – in a proper manner.

Fisheries management is based on the principle of sustainable harvesting based on the best possible scientific advice. Important in this regard is applying ecosystem-based management for the fisheries, which simply said, only means that we must see things in context.

The future will place strict demands on the operations of fishermen and the rest of the industry. It will not be enough to take the fish from the ocean and bring it to the pier. In addition everyone must accept that the resources need to be harvested in a sustainable manner. Which brings us to another major topic, namely ethics, and the fact that our ethical attitudes confer on us a special responsibility to think beyond our own wallets.

Important processes have been set in motion within the Norwegian fisheries industry to focus on the ethical aspects of its operations. I expect that these efforts will bear fruit.

When we work to protect the marine environment and to improve the resource situation, we see how dependent countries are upon one another. If we are to succeed, it requires extensive international co-operation. The conditions in Norwegian waters are affected by pollution brought in by ocean currents and the wind. We are vulnerable to possible contamination from environmentally-hazardous transports along the coast and to alien invasive organisms from ballast water. We also know that over 90 per cent of our fishing is of stocks that we share with other countries.

In other words, we are all totally dependent on the actions of the citizens and authorities in other countries. Therefore, what we can achieve through international fisheries agreements and through international co-operation on the marine environment is absolutely vital. The basic conditions for our industry are set in these forums. In this connection, Nor-Fishing plays an important role as an arena for establishing and maintaining contacts between policy makers, managers and the representatives of the industry from Norway and abroad.

The fisheries authorities, along with environmental agencies are strongly committed to marine environmental co-operation. This is a joint responsibility, and efforts in this area will be further intensified in the years to come. The Sellafield case illustrates these points well. As you know, the Norwegian government is trying to get Great Britain to stop the radioactive emissions from the Sellafield plant, which affect the waters along our entire coastline. We are making our case directly to Britain, but also through regional marine environmental organisations.

Sea transport is basically a safe and environmentally-friendly mode of transport. However, experience has shown that ship traffic also can be the source of serious pollution. Spills resulting from maritime accidents often occur near land, and can have serious repercussions for the environment and people living along the coast. In the resent Government White Paper on the marine environment "A clean and abundant Sea" – we have proposed a number of measures to improve the safety and emergency preparedness situation.

This White Paper, from March of this year, takes a holistic view of the various situations I have touched upon here. A good example of this management idea is the manner in which we now will approach development in the Barents Sea. The Barents Sea is an area still considered one of the least polluted and most abundant marine environment on this planet – and where the development of the petroleum industry presents us with major challenges.

To deal with these issues the Government has set in motion efforts to establish an integrated management plan for the Barents Sea. It will take a comprehensive view of the relationship between fishing and petroleum activities, the relationship between fishing and sea transport and the relationship between all industrial activities and the marine environment. This path-breaking effort will guarantee the Barents Sea as a valuable resource for the fishing and aquaculture industries.

Only responsible management of the environment and resources in the world’s marine areas can guarantee that both present and future generations will be able to harvest safe and tasty seafood. We have the management responsibilities and the potential for increased value adding based on the ocean’s abundance.

Nor-Fishing is an important arena in the development of today’s and tomorrow’s marine-based business sector. Nor-Fishing is a showcase, a forum for discussion, an idea factory. I wish to congratulate the Nor-Fishing Foundation and the technical organisers, Nidarøhallene AS, for a job well done and want to wish the organiser and all you exhibitors the best of luck during the show.

The Norwegian fishing and aquaculture industries are established as key players in a worldwide context. This has enabled Nor-Fishing to grow and maintain its high standards. This exhibition's vital role is underscored by the presence of so many international exhibitors and by the many foreign delegations in attendance. This year there are prominent delegations from Russia, China, Korea and Lithuania. I wish you all very welcome.

With that I declare that Nor-Fishing 2002 is officially open.