The Government of Norway seeks to meet its global diversity goals by creating new offshore marine protected areas beyond 12 nautical miles
The Norwegian government has unveiled a landmark proposal to establish a Marine Protection Act that would for the first time enable the protection of marine areas across all Norwegian sea zones — far beyond the current 12 nautical mile coastal limit.
“This is a milestone,” said Minister of Climate and Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen. “The new law closes a major gap in our legislation. It will allow us to protect marine nature throughout all Norwegian sea areas, crucial for preserving nature for future generations and meeting our international obligations under the Nature Agreement.”
Currently, Norway can only designate marine protected areas (MPAs) within its territorial waters, up to 12 nautical miles from the coast. The new law extends this power to Norway’s full 200-nautical mile economic zone, including the waters surrounding Svalbard, Jan Mayen, and areas of the Norwegian continental shelf.
The law is built on the foundation of the Natural Diversity Act but includes updated measures. It will also allow for restoration efforts, either through active ecological work or by giving nature space to recover undisturbed.
“This legislation will help ensure not just conservation, but in some cases, actual improvement in marine ecosystem health,” added Eriksen.
Key Features:
Covers Norway’s economic zone, Svalbard’s fishing protection zone, Jan Mayen’s fishing zone, and continental shelf areas.
Builds on existing rules but allows for stricter, ecosystem-based marine management.
Enables restoration initiatives as part of protection efforts.
Responds to global conservation targets under the Nature Agreement.
Until now, Norway lacked legal authority to protect marine areas outside its coastal waters, despite being responsible for vast marine regions. This legislative move signals a significant shift toward holistic, science-based marine governance.
The relative distribution of the estimated biomass per stratum is shown here. Most of the biomass (79 %) was found in Stratum 6 (west of Lofoten), and a significant proportion was found in Stratum 7 and 8 (10% in both). Image: Norwegian IMR
Impact on Quota and Stock Management
ICES is currently revising the stock assessment model for Norwegian spring-spawning herring. A new methodology is expected to be introduced in summer 2025, with revised quota advice for 2026 published in the autumn.
The 2025 spawning survey results underscore the urgent need for robust management. With high uncertainty in this year’s estimates – standard errors for biomass and number were around twice those of 2024 – scientists stress caution in interpreting results.
Further analysis will feed into ICES advice and could influence quotas, as fisheries managers attempt to adapt to the demographic shifts within the population.
Herring Remains a Commercial Keystone
Norwegian spring-spawning herring is one of the largest and most economically important pelagic stocks in the Northeast Atlantic. The decline in younger year classes and dominance of ageing cohorts raises red flags for long-term viability.
Despite poor weather during the cruise, both vessels were able to collect high-quality acoustic and biological data. Thirty-one trawl hauls and 17 CTD casts were completed, with strong coverage across the main spawning strata.
The findings from this year’s cruise will be closely scrutinised by scientists, policymakers, and fishing industry representatives as they plan for 2026 and beyond.
Next steps for assessment and management
The survey data will be incorporated into the ICES benchmark assessment, with a revised biomass calculation method under consideration. A revised stock assessment is expected in early summer, followed by quota advice for 2026 in the autumn. These results confirm the ongoing challenges in managing the NSSH stock amid ageing cohorts and declining abundance.