Management plan for the national parks in West Spitsbergen and the bird sanctuaries

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1 Management plan for the national parks in West Spitsbergen and the bird sanctuaries

2 Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Presentation of the group members 3. Introduction to the management plan process 4. Mission of the group 5. Election of group leader 6. Discussion 7. Further work

3 Assignment from the Ministry of climate and environment: Prepare management plans for: Eastern-Svalbard West - Spitsbergen and bird sanctuaries Central - Spitsbergen

4 Northwest-Spitsbergen nasjonalpark Forlandet National park South Spitsbergen National park 15 bird sanctuaries

5 What is a management plan? A tool to coordinate national targets and interests with activities within research, tourism and local use, within the framework of protection regulations. Procedures for processing cases under protection regulations Guidelines for exemptions and use. Describe the values and condition for nature and cultural heritage. Describe user interest. Define management objectives. List the required or desired action (eg inspection, cleanup, information).

6 Purpose of the protection nationalparks.. to conserve a large, continuous and mainly undisturbed natural area of land and sea with intact biotypes, ecosystems, species, natural ecological processes, landscape elements, cultural remains and cultural environments as a reference area for research and for experience of Svalbard s natural and cultural heritage. Together the three nationalparks have many unique qualities which is specially mentioned in the protection purpose: - an area of magnificent scenery - areas with interesting geology - uniq botanical locations (thermal springs by Bockfjorden) - nesting locations for seabirds - overvwintering areas for ducks (eiders) - core area for harbour seals - major habitats for polar bears - important cultural remains and cultural environments

and cultural environments as a reference area for research and for experience of Svalbard s natural and cultural heritage.

7 Protection regulations the national parks The landscape is protected against all technical interventions and constructions. The seabed is protected against fishing or harvesting by diving or bottom trawls or dredgers. Trawling for prawns is permitted in waters with depths of 100 m or more. (Otherwise fisheries legalisation, no regulation by quota in territorial waters) plants, animals and fossils is protected Hevy oil ban (exemption for Svea, Ny-Ålesund and Magdalenefjorden until ) Use of all-terrain vehicles and landing with helicopter are prohibited. Except inspection, police rescue or ambulance operations. No acces in four sites with cultural remains (2010)

(Otherwise fisheries legalisation, no regulation by quota in territorial waters) plants, animals and fossils is protected Hevy oil ban (exemption for Svea, Ny-Ålesund

8 Exemptions The Governor may permit scientific research, that does not conflict with the purpose of the national parks/ bird sanctuaries.

9 Bird sanctuaries and Moffen NR 15 bird sanctuaries on the west coast of Spitsbergen and in Isfjorden Eight in, or partly inside, the national parks Includes the ocean around the reserve out to 3oo m from shore. Traffic prohibited from 15. mai august Groundnesting birds mostly eiders and gees Traffic prohibited in Moffen NR 15.mai 15.sept Resting places for walruses.

reserve out to 3oo m from shore. Traffic prohibited from 15. mai - 15.

10 User interests Tourism Science and education Local use Fisheries

11 Gathering facts Collect, compile and map knowledge about: nature- and cultural values and sensitive areas science and research activities Activities within tourism, fisheries etc Compile future user interests: Research activities turism Fisheries, marin mapping etc.

activities Activities within tourism, fisheries etc Compile future

12 Assignment from the Ministry of the environment (MD) 1/2 The plan should be based on: Conservation provisions The Svalbard Environmental protection Act and the Svalbard Act Parlamentary Bill no 22 ( ) concerning Svalbard ensure that the management is in line with the IUCN guidelines (International Union for Conservation of Nature) MD assumes that the impact on species and ecosystems will increase due to climate changes

(2008-2009) concerning Svalbard ensure that the management is in line with the IUCN guidelines

13 Assignment from the Ministry of the environment 2/2 The management plan shall: ensure that all activities and management is in line with conservation objectives. facilitate use which is consistent with conservation objectives. ensure that quality of traffic and activities limits the environmental impact. ensure that the balance between user interests and conservation values is within the conservation objectives. establish management zones with spesific strategies and policies with different purposes. balance between use and protection and various user interests through different practices of conservation provisions in the various zones.

ensure that the balance between user interests and conservation values is within the conservation objectives.

15 Process - organizing The model from eastern Svalbard received positive feedback in the hearing Labour intensive for all parts Provides many opportunities for input Project-, reference- and working groups: The working groups prepare reports describing user interests (tourism, research/education and local use) The reference group look after and provides input to the draft plan. Superior authorities are observers in the reference group. The project group will design the Governor s proposed management plan.

user interests (tourism, research/education and local use) The reference group look after and provides input to the draft plan.

16 Reference group Invited participants: 1. Sysselmannen (leder og sekretær) 2. Longyearbyen lokalstyre 3. Svalbard reiselivsråd 4. Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) 5. Norges forskningsråd (og SIOS) 6. Svalbard Science Forum (SSF) 7. Norsk Polarinstitutt 8. Universitetssenteret på Svalbard (UNIS) 9. Fiskebåtredernes forbund 10. Statens Kartverk Sjø 11. WWF-Norge Observers: Miljødirektoratet Riksantikvaren Kystverket Fiskeridirektoratet

Norges forskningsråd (og SIOS) 6. Svalbard Science Forum (SSF) 7. Norsk Polarinstitutt 8.

17 Work groups Work group tourism: Svalbards reiselivsråd AECO Pole Position Spitsbergen Spitsbergen Travel Arctica Expeditions Jason Roberts Production Store Norske Sysselmannen (sekretær) Work group science: Svalbard Science Forum (SSF) Norsk Polarinstitutt UNIS Norges forskningsråd (og SIOS) Longyearbyen Science and Education Forum (LySEF) Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee (NySmac) Havforskningsinstituttet Universitetet i Tromsø Akvaplan-niva AS Norges geologiske undersøkelse (NGU) Polish Polar Station Hornsund Polar-Alpine Botanical Arboretum The Arctic and Antartic Research Institute Sysselmannen (sekretær) Work group local use: Longyearbyen lokalstyre (LL) Longyearbyen Feltbiologisk Forening Longyearbyen Jeger- og Fiskerforening Longyearbyen havn (LL, Bydrift KF) Totakteren Velferden, Ny-Ålesund Longyearbyen Røde Korps Hjelpekorps Andre? Sysselmannen (sekretær)

Havforskningsinstituttet Universitetet i Tromsø Akvaplan-niva AS Norges geologiske undersøkelse (NGU) Polish Polar Station Hornsund Polar-Alpine Botanical Arboretum The Arctic and Antartic Research

18 Workplan 2013 Compilation and mapping of environmental values, NP (March - Oktober) Collection of knowledge (fieldwork July) Startup message (October) Formal initiation with public meeting (5. November) Deadline for contributions to the startup notice (4. December) 2014 Start-up work groups (Jan) Ordering additional facts (Feb) Input from the work groups (Mai) Supplementary gathering of knowledge in the field (summer) Draft of management plan, meeting for the reference group (fall) Technical review of the draft plan by the Environment Agency (1. December ->) 2015 Public consultation of the draft plan (spring) Governor s recommendation sent is sent to the Norwegian Environment Agency Central approval in the Norwegian Environment Agency (Mai->) Information and implementation of the management plan

December) 2014 Start-up work groups (Jan) Ordering additional facts (Feb) Input from the work groups (Mai) Supplementary gathering of knowledge in the field (summer) Draft of management plan, meeting

19 The work group s task: 1. Describe current research in the area. Number of projects, where, when (the season), multi-year projects, disiplines (geology etc) Traffic, logistics and transport (boat, helicopter) Technical installations in the field (weather stations etc.) Monitoringand monitoring stations (Ongoing longtime monitoring series) Identification of conflicts between user interests in the area? 2. Describe the needs/further development of research in this area. Opportunities/threats? Infrastructure? SIOS? 3.Given the definition of «reference area for research». Is there a need for such reference areas in national parks of the West Spitsbergen? Why? Size? Content/elements that must be present? Location? (suggestions) Restrictions?

(weather stations etc.) Monitoringand monitoring stations (Ongoing longtime monitoring series) Identification of conflicts between user interests in the area? 2.

20 Reference area for research:. an area that is as much as possible untouched by local human activity, and therefore can be used for monitoring various parameters to capture the impact of largescale processes; climate changes, pollution or new and unfamiliar problems.

activity, and therefore can be used for monitoring various

Science outside Academia

Science outside Academia Tromsø, 22.10.2013 Anita Evenset, Research manager, Akvaplan-niva Research and consultancy Aquaculture, marine- and freshwater environment Main office and laboratories in Tromsø