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MARINFORSKFISK-Marine ressurser og miljø - fiskeri

Fishery at 78° - Small scale fishery for local value creation on Svalbard

Alternative title: Fiskeri ved 78° - småskala fiskeri for lokal verdiskaping på Svalbard

Awarded: NOK 12.0 mill.

Project Number:

319123

Project Period:

2021 - 2024

Partner countries:

The coal-mine industry on Svalbard has been drastically reduced, and alternative income resources have been explored to ensure Norwegian presence in the Svalbard archipelago such as establishment of a research community and promotion of a tourism industry. The objective for the Norwegian government is to ensure that Longyearbyen, also in the future, remains a viable local community being attractive for livelihood, employment, and settlement. The potential to have access to the highly valued marine resources; the idea to exploit the red king crab and snow crab resources, the idea of exploring the options in creating values of these species through live holding, processing, and development into culinary dishes was conceived. The water temperature for live holding are favorable, and the distance from fishing ground to Longyearbyen is short, especially for the Snow crab. In 2021, the project group has studied the existing regulations for fishery, landing, and processing in Longyearbyen, barriers and options. Furthermore, routines from capture until processing ensuring adequate animal welfare, but also, products fulfilling general quality requirements, have been explored. In parallell to this, the expectations from the tourists regarding culinary experiences based on snow and red king crab, produced locally, have been explored.

The coal-mine industry on Svalbard has been drastically reduced, alternative income resources have been explored to ensure Norwegian presence in the Svalbard archipelago have been performed and explored, including the establishment of a research community and promotion of a tourism industry. The objective for the Norwegian government is to ensure that Longyearbyen also, in the future, remains a viable local community being attractive for livelihood, employment, and settlement. Due to the transition and challenges the Svalbard community is facing, and access to the highly valued marine resources; red king crab and snow crab, the project "Fishery at 78" is conceived. To create values of red king crab and snow crab at Svalbard, scientific knowledge including capture, live holding, processing, and development of culinary food experiences must be developed. This will be achieved through 4 work packages; WP1: Regulatory and economic conditions, WP2: Capture, live holding (LH), processing, and development of culinary experiences, WP3: Synthesis and evaluation with stakeholders, and WP4: Project management, coordination, and dissemination. Establishing live holding of crabs on Svalbard is not a "copy and paste" operation of the existing fishery along the coast of Finnmark as factors like climate change, retreating ice, access to the resource, water quality, and water temperature differs. Thus, experimental work to evaluate, test, adjust, and optimize, have to be performed to ensure good welfare and a low mortality of the crabs. The value creation linked to the exploitation of snow crab and red king crab will provide ample opportunities for the Svalbard community, serving tourists and visitors as well as the local population, by creating direct employment. Based on the results obtained, a detailed Svalbard Plan for capture, LH, processing, concepts of culinary experiences of both crab species will be developed and tailored to the tourism industry and the Svalbard community

Funding scheme:

MARINFORSKFISK-Marine ressurser og miljø - fiskeri

Funding Sources