Facts & findings

Tarehøsting Møte Trondheim

19 and 20th September Johan Breivik and I – Bertram Sømme from Stopptt, attended a meeting about Commercial seaweed harvesting on the Norwegian coast in Trondheim hosted by Nord and Syd Trondheim Fylkeskommune and others

headlines on meeting

Present were some 60 people from the major state marine biological organizations – from the Fiskeriedirektoratet – from the Kommune (councils) up and down the country – from the Miljødirektoratet – the environment agency and from the seaweed harvesting industry including Fmc, Algea, the Taretråwler skippers and perhaps the most important of all several very concerned private citizens.

Arneberg Ellen Fylkesmannen i Sør-Trøndelag
Bekkby Trine NIVA
Bertelsen Bernt Fiskeri- og kystdepartementet
bertram sømme stopptt
Betten Ola Fylkesmannen i Møre og Romsdal
Bjørgo Sigurd Sør-Trøndelag fylkeskommune
Bodvin Torjan Havforskningsinstituttet
breivik johan stopptt
Bremnes Hallgeir Biotrål AS
Brødreskift Jan Fiskeridirektoratet region Trøndelag
Ekli Monica Fylkesmannen i Sør-Trøndelag
Eliassen Jens_Eric Tingvoll kommune
Ellen Hoel Sør-Trøndelag fylkeskommune
Ely-Aastrup Hilde Fylkesmannen i Nord-Trøndelag
Fjermedal Anne Brit Fiskeridirektoratet region sør
FRONTH NYHUS PA
Garstad Ulf Fisker
Garte Nervold Gunhild Fylkesmannen i Nordland
Gorseth May Brit Myrholt Fylkesmannen i Nord-Trøndelag
Grindvik Ivar Vikna kommune
Grindvik Blikø Magny Fiskeridirektoratet region Trøndelag
Grydeland Jan Helge Roan kommune
Hagen Eli Merete Fiskeridirektoratet Region Vest
Halsteinsen Terje Fiskeridirektoratet
helstad øyvor Frøya kommune
Hovland Frode Sogn og Fjordane fylkeskommune
Hoxmark Jens Odd Privatperson Tromøy Aust-Agder
Irgens Magnus Miljødirektoratet
Jakobsen Ole-Einar Fiskeridirektoratet region Møre og Romsdal
Jansen Turid Susort Rogaland fylkeskommune
Johansen Gunnar Fiskarlaget Midt-Norge
Kjønnø Tron ALGEA AS
Knudtsen Solveig Skjei Nord-Trøndelag fylkeskommune
Kvilhaug Ole Damm FMC Biopolymer AS
Lilleng Dagfinn Fiskeridirektoratet
Lorentsen Svein-Håkon Norsk institutt for naturforskning, NINA
Lorentsen Elling Norges Fiskarlag
Lorgen Karl Anton Fiskeridirektoratet region Møre og Romsdal
Martin Nilsen Frøya kommune
meinert jurgen norske sjømatbedrifters landsforening
Norderhaug Kjell Magnus NIVA
Olsen Ketil Nordland fylkeskommune
Roald Sverre Ola Fiskeridirektoratet region Møre og Romsdal
Sandberg Jan Henrik Norges Fiskarlag
Sande Einar Norges Råfisklag
Sandnes Arne Håkon Molde kommune
Sandstad Marianne Fiskarlaget Midt-Norge
Sefland Inger Mette Fiskeridirektoratet region vest
Sigstadstø Eirik Fiskeri- og havbruksnæringens forskningsfond
Sira Inger Helene Tingvoll kommune
Slettvåg Arve Møre og Romsdal fylkeskommune
Steen Henning Havforskningsinstituttet
Stuevold Guri Sør-Trøndelag fylkeskommune
Stølen Elin privatperson (fra Sogn og Fjordane)
Sørvik Terje Nord-Trøndelag fylkeskommune
Ulriksen Vidar Fiskeridirektoratet Region Vest
Ulsund Carina Fylkesmannen i Sør-Trøndelag
Utvær Hanne Marie Fiskeridirekoratet region vest
Viken Odd Inge Roan Fiskarlag
Wathne Jens Altern Fiskeridirektoratet
Øyen Ketil Biotrål AS

Why important? Because these citizens are deeply worried that there is not enough knowledge about the consequences of the industry – that the signs that there is something wrong are being ignored.  These are ordinary people who are prepared to spend several thousand Kroner and their time to let their voice be heard and to find out more. (one could say it was the job of the others to be present)

This is clear indication of the concern the public has over this issue and its  not being addressed.

Outside of Clarion

The meeting was held in the very splendid Clarion Hotel in Trondheim – full of vast open spaces and artworks – a impressive demonstration of wealth and status –

Clarion hotel interior

We asked the organizers of the conference if we could present a little video we had made – we were told we could – but as events turned out there was some confusion – fair enough it was not a good video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHkAMGAQf1I but then you can make  your own mind.

However the national television was there – NRK  – they got the video so it is entirely possible that it will get a far bigger audience. However as always they left before the fireworks began.

Nrk Camera

The message we (Stopptt) got from the meeting was clear – our little organization is having an impact – out website and blogs are carefully read and scrutinized by the taretråling industry – private individuals and many others – we know this, because we were told this at the meeting (we  have a counter on our old site http://stopptt.com/ it currently reads 38,000)   –

The attitude of some marine biologists present was disturbing to say the least

On the surface this has a number of results but one clear one is that  we should be extremely worried about our oceans and the knowledge that is not being distributed, discussed or followed through  –  It is not right that the type of work Stopptt does should be left up to individuals such as us, but it is clear no one else is going to do it.

I would to make one last point  – quite a few scientists have been in contact and have collected papers.  Thank you for that.

Due to the video footage we took at the meetings we should be able to do a comprehensive report in the next few days, but it is quite a task connecting names to faces. It would be useful if there was some feedback (particularly concerning inaccuracies)- I have disabled comments here but you can contact me on stopptt@stopptt.com – finally there is only one form of bad publicity and that is no publicity – negative comments are welcome.

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