Through the project ”Dialogue Forum Oil/Fish” the management of North Energy is conducting a close dialogue with key fishermen from the municipalities of Bø and Øksnes. The dialogue forum has functioned as a neutral meeting place where the focus has been on an exchange of information, dialogue and expertise development involving conflict-filled themes associated with the relationships between oil an fish.

The interim results from this dialogue are a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that the fishing industry will be facing with increased petroleum activity, and a clear understanding of the knowledge gaps that exist in the administration plan. While in-depth studies have been carried out of birds and fish, knowledge about the fisheries and their significance in the fishing societies is extremely deficient. Hence new knowledge must be acquired about such conditions for it to be possible to arrange for good interaction between oil and fish.

North Energy feels that a better understanding has been developed for the importance of a dialogue through its participation in this forum, and believes that it could make sense to initiate negotiations on conditions that would form a foundation for future teamwork between fisheries and oil outside Vesterålen. In this area we find that the greatest challenges associated with the interaction between oil and fish are probably a consequence of a narrow continental shelf with a very high level of fishing activity.