The Nordic Conference on Co-location of Marine Industries was held from September 25 to September 26 2024 at Sankt Gertrud Konferens in Malmö. The conference aimed to bring Nordic stakeholders together and facilitate an exchange of ideas as a part of Sweden’s presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers. The main focus of the conference was offshore renewable energy, fishing, and aquaculture, aiming to highlight opportunities and challenges with increasing demand for sea space and promoting nature-positive solutions for co-location.
Keynote speaker Alexandra Leeper highlighted the importance of collaborative innovation for sustainable growth in marine industries. Leeper concluded with a vision for sustainable growth in Nordic marine industries through innovation and mutual value creation, encapsulated in her quotes: "Create more with less" and "To create trust you need to understand each other."
Jonas Bjärnstedt from Sweden’s Agency for Marine and Water Management discussed the need for a national guide to clarify regulations for co-location, emphasizing the importance of risk assessments and insurance solutions. Kari Grundvig from The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries pointed out the necessity of effective marine spatial planning and ongoing Strategic Environmental Assessments to balance wind development and marine sustainability.
Sigrid Eskeland Schütz from Bergen University stressed the need for a robust legal framework for marine multi-use, while Christian Schell from RISE highlighted risk management strategies for sustainable fishing near wind farms.
Kerstin Bly Joyce from Nordregio, Jessica Hjerpe Olausson from RISE and Karina Barquet from SEI emphasized the need for integrated ocean governance to tackle challenges in marine industries. They advocate for a holistic approach that aligns sustainable development goals, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive management to enhance ocean governance.
Turid Øygard from Offshore Norway and Hanna Bauge from Fiskebåt addressed the need for collaboration between Norway's offshore wind industry and fisheries. They stressed early dialogue and systematic planning to align with the government’s goal of developing 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2040 while minimizing conflicts with fishing activities.
Innovators Sonja Andrén and Karl Strømsem advocated for incorporating aquaculture into offshore wind strategies to enhance economic resilience and food self-sufficiency through stakeholder collaboration.