1. Co-management of Fishing and Nature Protection in the Koster-Väderö Fjord on the Swedish West-Coast
Stefan Berggren
Marine Director, Sweden
This presentation will be about ……

2. The Koster-Väderöfjord
Norway
The Koster-Väderöfjord
Natura 2000
Kosterhavet National Park
Väderöarna Marine Nature Reserve
Managed by the County Administrative Board Västra Götaland
Sweden
Skagerrak
The Koster-Väderö Fjord is located in the northern part of the Swedish westcoast in the eastern part of Skagerrak. The fjord has depths between 100 and 250 meters within one kilometer from land and the water is in connection ith the Nowegian trench and thereby with the deep-water of the North Atlantic. Thanks to the connection with the Atlantic the area is Sweden’s most species rich marine area, and the only area in Sweden with near oceanic conditions. The area also produce several important ecosystem services.
The high biological values, with som very valuable habitats, have been known since long ago and in 2009” The Koster National Park” was established at the same time as the Norwegian national park “Ytre Hvaler” on the other side of the Norwegian-Swedish border. South of the national park the nature reserve Väderöarna was established in 2011 and both areas are Natura 2000 areas.
The area is classified as having good ecological status according to the WFD, the only coastal area on the westcoas with this classification.
(Kosterfjorden was identified as a candidate for being national park already in the 1980-ties.)

3. High biological values in the area
Example:
Habitat-forming cold-water coral, Lophelia pertusa
Reef-building with diverse community
Slow-growing and and may be harmed by fishing
Listed by Ospar and UNEP
One of the unique species in the area is the habitat- and reef-forming cold-water coral, Lophelia pertusa. The reefs are home to a very diverse community, however the species is extremely slow growing and may be harmed by destructive fishing practices. (Lophelia pertusa is listed by UNEP and Ospar, in 2009 ICES recommended mapping and then closing all of Europe’s deep corals to fishing trawlers.)

4. Fishing in the Koster-Väderöfjord
Dominant: Trawling for shrimp Pandalus borealis
Other:
norwegian lobster Nephrops norvegicus,
lobster Hommarus gammarus,
mackerel Scomber scombrus,
crab Cancer pagurus,
flat fish
The area is also important for fishery, especially trawl-fishing for shrimps, and is an important part of local economy and history. But the trawling can damage both the organisms in and on the sea floor and on the sourrounding rocky reefs.

5. The Koster Agreement Fisheries closure areas
Fishing gear - only selective, small, light-weight permitted
No trawling shallower than 60 m
Integrated management with local participation
Increase knowledge of the biological values among fishermen
During the nineties there were quite affected discussions between fishermen, researchers and the nature protection authorities and the fishermen didn’t want to have protected areas.
But discussions started and in 2000 the Koster-Väderö Fjord Agreement was established. The agreement was between fishermen, researchers, fishery organizations and and authorities at different levels and an important part during the discussions was knowledge sharing. The aim of the agreement is to develop a sustainable fishery compatible with the regions conservation values.
The agreement contained areas closed for fishery (the coral reefs), and rules about fishing gears, and the rules are included in the national fishery law.

6. Training programme
For fishermen in marine ecology – by Gothenburg University
For scientists, managers & politicians in fisheries – by local fishermen
This has contributed to better understanding between fishermen and researchers, administrators, politicians
Beside this also integrated management with local participation and education of fishermen (in marine biology) and researchers, officials and politicians (in fishery technology and commercial fishery) is a very important part.

7. Monitoring of the trawl protected areas 2012-13
More species rich in the protected areas
New living coral reef at Väderöarna discovered!
Trawl tracks in closed areas
A follow up study in 2013 showed more species in the ban areas than in other similar areas, but also some tracks from trawls in the ban areas.

8. Actions to strengthen the protection – July 2015
Special permit for fishing in the area
No permit if earlier violations
Obligatory AIS (Automatic Identification System)
Obligatory education on marine ecological values of the area
The permit will be withdrawn if violated
5 more areas closed for fishing
This resulted in a dialogue and from 2015 a special permit is needed to fish in the area. To get the permit you must have participated in an a course about the values in the area and your boat must be equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) and five more areas closed for trawling.

9. Protected areas from July 2015
More information:
Flyer:
And on this map all the eleven closure areas are shown. More information is available in the flyer and on the websites.
Thanks for listening!