Adaptation in fisheries and municipalities: Three communities in Northern Norway

Abstract

In this chapter we focus on how changing societal and climatic conditions have consequences for current and future vulnerability and adaptation in three municipalities in Northern Norway: Hammerfest and Lebesby, in Finnmark County, and Vestvågoy in the Lofoten Islands, Nordland County. Through local consultations and discussions, fisheries and municipal planning were identified as having particular relevance in the case communities. Climate change is not perceived to be a major challenge locally, nevertheless, when climate projections are considered alongside locally defined and relevant socio-economic and climatic concerns that are particular to local contexts, multiple and interrelated factors emerge that are likely to shape future vulnerability. Focussing on coastal fisheries and municipal planning as two major arenas for change, we find that adaptation takes place along a number of dimensions and at several societal levels. Adaptive strategies occur in response to changing socio-economic conditions, to variable weather and environmental conditions, or to a combination of both. There are three interlinked factors that our empirical findings show are currently of concern for coastal fisheries: changes in bio-physical conditions (ocean temperature and fish distribution and behaviour); fisheries management and regulations (vessel size, species, quotas) and societal conditions (outmigration, market factors and transfer of knowledge). The interlinkages between these changes, and community responses to them, have first and foremost been captured and understood through local involvement in our research. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.