Akvaplan-niva and the Norwegian Institute of Water Research (NIVA) have been working on the project "Marine monitoring" for 6 years. The project was completed in June in 2019 and the main report for the project will be published in the spring. . These programs started in 2017 and will expire in 2020.
The last part of the project "Marine monitoring" focused on Nordland and was carried out on behalf of NCE Aquaculture. Here, Thor Arne Hangstad was the main coordinator for sampling water bodies at Akvaplan-niva. The field surveys were conducted by Trond Ivarjord, Geir Dahl-Hansen, Tormod Skålsvik, Gyda Lorås and Jonny Nikolaisen (all Akvaplan levels).
Photo: Akvaplan-Niva
The objective of this part-work was to monitor and classify the ecological environmental condition in 6 fjord areas in Nordland where there is active aquaculture activity. In the period 2017-2018, surveys were conducted in Nordfoldfjord, Sagfjorden, Tysfjorden, Ofotfjord, Øksfjorden and Sjona. The studies focused on the two biological quality elements of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a) and macroalgae vegetation in the shoreline , as well as support parameters for these.
Photo: Akvaplan-Niva
The studies show that phytoplankton, through chlorophyll a, has a more intense flowering for some stations compared to previous years. The time series from 2013-2018 shows spring bloom in March-April, and in 2017 there is a further bloom in May-June. For ammonium, there are higher concentrations in the summer months 2017 compared to previous years. This is especially true for Sjona, but also partly for the Tysfjord. For nitrate, there are high concentrations in the winter months when the layering is weak, but this falls to low levels after spring bloom.
Video about farming and nutrients
The classification of the state of oxygen in the bottom water shows good conditions. There is little change compared to the measurements in 2016 and all stations except one station (which has "good") have "Very good" condition. The macroalgae vegetation in the shore showed "Good" or "Very good" ecological condition at the 18 stations.
Blue Planet, which was the client's contact person on behalf of the aquaculture players in the project, has in collaboration with NCE Aquaculture created an information video about nutrients and how aquaculture affects the aquatic environment.
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