Priority to Arctic regions
The importance of MAREANO is specifically stressed in the Integrated Management Plan for the Barents Sea recently presented by the Norwegian Government. Extensive plans for exploitation of oil and gas reserves in Lofoten and the Barents Sea are being considered, and a sustainable management of the area is highly dependent upon improved knowledge of the Arctic ecosystems. Surveys and basic studies of the physical, biological and chemical environment of the seabed will initially prioritise a number of environmentally sensitive areas of the Barents Sea and the Lofoten area.
A management tool
The aim of MAREANO is to give users from the authorities, research, the industry, and the general public direct access to neutral and reliable knowledge. Data from surveys and research will be collated in an online database.
A main component of the website is a tool where the user can combine data from various sources to produce informative charts. The datasets may be utilised in a number of ways: They will be the basis for monitoring biodiversity status; they can be used to improve fishing efficiency at a lower cost and with a reduced environmental impact; and the biological production associated with the bottom areas may be assessed through this information. Potential conflicts between vulnerable spawning grounds for fish and planned offshore activities in the Barents Sea can also be visualised by using the information available on the website.
Joint effort
MAREANO brings together biologists from the Institute of Marine Research and geologists from the Geological Survey of Norway, as well as the Norwegian Hydrographic Office. The online database will be open to contributions from external sources of knowledge in the public and private sectors, such as local and regional government bodies and the offshore industry.