Designing a Collaborative Approach to Reduce Conflicting Interests in the Management of Contaminated Marine Sediments (SEDCONFLICT)

In Norway, serious contamination of marine sediments has been found in more than 120 areas which has resulted in restrictions on the consumption of fish and fishery products in 24 fjords and harbours. Thus restoration of contaminated marine sediments is a national environmental policy priority as described in The Ministry of Environment?s proposition to Parliament ?Pristine and abundant seas? (St.mld. 12 2001-2002). However, management options for large scale contaminated sediment remediation projects can be in conflict with stakeholder interests. This is illustrated in the remediation efforts currently taking place in Oslo Harbour. The public opposition to remediation suggests the need for a methodology for engaging stakeholders early in the process of i dentifying measures sediment management options. Although the importance of stakeholder interaction is documented in the literature amongst policy scientists, it does not mean that stakeholder approaches are common practice. Using the systematic study o f the Oslo Harbour case and implementation in Bergen Harbour, the research team's knowledge of the methods from other case study sites we will (i) show the extent to which alternative stakeholder participation methods are complementary and (ii) how these methods individually or in conjunction can complement the existing Norwegian environmental impact assessment process on sediment remediation projects. To our knowledge this is the first time alternative approaches to stakeholder involvement in sediment r emediation planning is systematically assessed.