Today the 2009 versions of <<Havets ressurser og miljø>> and <<Kyst og havbruk>> are released at the Institute of Marine Research in Tromsø. The annual reports present updated knowledge of fish stocks, pollution, ecosystem based management advices and more.

Researchers from Observation methodology have so far this year had 21 publications published or accepted for publishing in refereed journals. More material is beeing evaluated. In addtion the research group is in charge of two book chapters.          
 

The Swedish documentary "The pink gold" has drawn attention to fish used as fish fodder and whether these resources are harvested sustainably. Below follows a survey on scientific advices given on the most important stocks in Norwegian waters harvested for this purpose.

On the 10th March our Management Director Tore Nepstad and Assistant Deputy Minister Wendy Watson-Wright signed a MoU between the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and Department of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada (DFO).
 

The marine biologists Bjørn Krafft and Georg Skaret from the Institute of Marine Research have spent two months in the Southern Ocean aboard the “Saga Sea”, an ice-rated krill trawler owned by Aker Maritime, looking at how much krill the ocean currents transport through the fishing zone. They have recently returned home, and have delivered this report:

When diving off Austevoll, sport diver and photographer Bjørnar Nygård spotted a halibut with a green tag on its back. This was a halibut that the Institute of Marine Research had tagged and released in November 2008, to find out what happens to halibut that escape from fish farms.

During the week of 22th to 28th March 2009 nearly 300 researchers working with Arctic questions meet in Bergen.
 

As part of a new project, the Institute of Marine Research is going to monitor life around a coral reef for a year by placing an observation platform equipped with a camera and echo sounders close to the reef. With a wind turbine on the surface providing power and a broadband connection, it will be possible to live stream the goings on around the coral reef.

This map shows the deep water coral reefs we so far know of along the coast of Norway. Bottom trawl is forbidden nearby five of the reefs. 

- We are very content that the Government allocates the funds needed to build a new, ice-class research vessel. The investment is vital to all organizations working in the field of Norwegian marine research, says Ole Arve Misund, director of research at the IMR.

Over the course of three years, NOK 50 million will be spent on finding out why Atlantic salmon are not returning to the rivers where they hatched. This week, 50 experts on wild salmon from ten European countries are meeting for a conference in Bergen to discuss, amongst other things, this summer's scientific expeditions, which together will constitute the most comprehensive survey of Atlantic salmon to date.

Calanus finmarchicus is the main food source to fish in our seas. Warmer seas have lead to an increase of Calanus finmarchicus in northern waters, while less in the North Sea.