Running:
2020 to 2023
Funder:
Norwegian Research Council
Partners:
Center for the Blue Economy, Center for the Ocean and the Arctic, Fridtjof Nansen Institute (lead), High North Center for Business and Governance & NOFIMA
SVALFISH was led by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute under the direction of project leader – and TAI Senior Fellow – Andreas Østhagen. The project had a number of institutional participants including The Arctic Institute, NOFIMA, the High North Center at Nord University, the Center for the Blue Economy, Polar Seafood, Norwegian Fisherman’s Sales Organization, Pole Position Logistics, Svalbard Marine Utvikling, the Svalbard Business Forum, and the Center for the Ocean and the Arctic. SVALFISH was funded by the Research Council of Norway and seeked to examine the transformation of Svalbard from a primarily mining-focused region to a modern and economically diverse archipelago in the High North. The project focused on fisheries as one of the primary economic activities in the area, and the opportunities and constraints of this industry considering Svalbard’s unique governance structures. SVALFISH was a collaboration between institutions and key business actors and stakeholders in the fisheries sector and asks, “what conditions determine the feasibility of an emerging fishing industry on Svalbard?” The objective was to improve knowledge regarding the development of a fishing industry on Svalbard and what conditions would be required for this industry to expand, to enhance knowledge among businesses and decision-makers and “determine the profitability of fishing activity in the region: catching, landing, processing and exporting of fish.” The project further aimed to analyze the blue economy possibilities for fisheries on Svalbard.