AECO
Svalbard
Site Workshop
6th – 7th of June 2024
Park Inn by Radisson Oslo Airport Hotel West
Opening speech - AECO
6/17/2024 Slide
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Your guides through the wokshop
6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 3
Maria Østerhus Lobo
Hans Olav Otterlei
Who are you today?
Agenda
Session 1 (Day 1)
Visitor capacity challenges due to new restrictions
• Objective: Discuss ways to manage reduced visiting capacity
Session 2 (Day 2)
Mitigating conflict risks and adverse reactions
• Objective: Discuss strategies to handle conflicts and prevent negative reactions to new measures
Session 3 (Day 2)
Policies and mechanisms
• Objective: Discuss policies and mechanisms for implementation
5
Breaks
Wednesday
09:00 Start
11:00 Coffee-break 13:00 Lunch
15:30 Coffee-break
18:00 End of discussions
Thursday 08:30 Start 10:00 Coffee-break 12:00 Lunch 13:00 Discussions 14:30 Coffee-break 14:50 End of workshop
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Everyone contributes – now is the time to speak up
We respect each other's opinions
“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”
What would you like to add?
of Engagement
Rules
Try
No technology (there will be breaks) 1 2 3 4 5
to be clear and concise when talking
What does a successful workshop look like?
What are the one to three things you want to see as
workshop outcomes?
6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 8
Session 1:
Visitor capacity challenges due to new restrictions
6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 9
Svalbard New regulations from Jan 1, 2025
Maximum 200 passengers
• All nature reserves and national parks
Landing from cruise vessels prohibited
All protected areas, except:
• Sassen-Bünsow Land national park
• North Isfjorden national park
• Moffen (NB other regulations)
• Hopen (NB other regulations)
• Bjørnøya (NB other regulations)
• Bird sanctuarie (NB other regulations)
• Except some national parks Jan 1 – May 25 (next slides)
• Except 43 designated areas (later slide)
Landing not prohibited Jan 1 – May 25 on frozen and snowcovered ground:
• South Spitsbergen national park
• Van Mijen national park
• Forlandet national part
• Northwest-Spitsbergen national park
Landing not prohibited
• Isfjorden (NB large local activity – risk of conflicts)
• Forlands Strait east side
• Kongsfjorden (NB Radio silence)
• Woodfjorden east side
• Wijdefjorden northern part
• Sorgfjorden west side
• Spitsbergen central east side
• Hopen
• Bjørnøya (restrictions apply)
• Regulations make it possible to close sites if there is too much pressure.
43 landing sites/areas
• 13 sites/areas restricted to 39 persons at the same time
• 7 sites have fixed boundaries
• 36 sites/areas have no boundaries once landed
• 6 of the sites/areas are registered with 2-3 landing sites
In addition:
- Landing only permitted if accompanied by a guide with knowledge about nature and cultural remains.
- The industry itself needs to find solutions to coordinate landings/use of sites.
Sites outside landing prohibition/protected areas
• 80-90 sites in AECO’s cruise database
• New sites?
NB: Regulations make it possible to close any site if the pressure is too high.
Landing sites colors
Landing sites marked in blue =
• Sites that can be visited by maximum 39 persons at a time.
Landing sites marked green =
• Sites without legal restrictions on number of people ashore.
• AECO guildelines states maximum 100 persons ashore.
Boundaries - and no boundaries
• Obligation to stay within marked area.
• No obligation to stay withing marked area.
Changes applicable in specific areas/sites
• No longer a legal obligation to use site specific guidelines.
- Still AECO guidelines requirement if not decided differently.
• Virgohamna
- No longer a requirement for a special permit to visit.
• Habenichtbukta
- The current regulations will be removed.
• Obligation to use paths when/if they exist, in the following areas:
o Hopen nature reserve
o Van Mijenfjorden national park
Presentation on new cruise database (Troels)
20
What alternatives do we have?
Find new sites
Split existing sites Continue as today Introduce stricter time slots Differentiate access by vessel category
Limit # of landings per day
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capacity
Manage
Increase capacity
What alternatives do we have?
Find new sites Split existing sites Continue as today Introduce stricter time slots Differentiate access by vessel category
Limit # of landings per day
Is this the full list of options? Any other we need to discuss? 6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 22 Manage
capacity Increase capacity
What alternatives do we have?
Find new sites Split existing sites Continue as today Introduce stricter time slots Differentiate access by vessel category
Limit # of landings per day
Which of these options would be most appropriate? 6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 23 Manage
Prioritise:
capacity Increase capacity
Break
17. juni 2024
Discussion: Split and new landing sites
Prepare a 3-5 minutes presentation on your group’s recommendations to the following questions:
1. What do you believe the potential to be for increasing capacity by splitting existing or systematically searching for new sites
What role, if any, should AECO take in identifying existing sites with possibilities for split landing sites?
2. If an operator identifies and uses a new site not currently in the cruise database, which policies and requirement should apply for reporting (e.g. deadline, reporting content and so on).
Should reporting requirement aim at making it easier for other operators to start using the new site? Do we need new guidelines?
25
Lunch (back at 14.00)
Discussion: Time slots
• Are stricter time slots an appropriate measure?
• What are the main arguments for and against the introduction of stricter time slot?
27
Discussion: Time slots
1. What are the key criteria that need to be met for a new slot system to work/be accepted by all?
2. Which slot times would your group recommend? (e.g how many, when)
3. Should consecutive bookings of slots on the same site be allowed?
4. Should booking of multiple sites at the same date/time be allowed?
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Break
17. juni 2024
Discussion: Other measures
What is your groups «gut feeling» towards the following possible limitations?
1. Should we differentiate access to certain/selected sites by vessel category? If yes, how?
2. Should sites with maximum 39 visitors be treated differently? If yes, how?
3. Should we introduce limitations in the number of landings per day for each vessel? If yes, what kind of limitations?
4. Any other type of restriction/limitation you find appropriate?
30
Discussion: Five point plan
Considering the discussions we’ve had today, what would be your group’s 5-point recommendation on how to meet the new regulatory restrictions?
31
Wrap-up day 1
32
Agenda
Session 2 (Day 2)
Mitigating conflict risks and adverse reactions
• Objective: Discuss strategies to handle conflicts and prevent negative reactions to new measures
Thursday
Session 3 (Day 2)
Policies and mechanisms
• Objective: Discuss policies and mechanisms for implementation
08:30 Start 10:00 Coffee-break 12:00 Lunch 13:00 Discussions 14:30 Coffee-break 14:50 End of workshop
34
Session 2:
Mitigating conflict
35
Session 2: Mitigating conflict risks and adverse reactions
6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 36
Introduction to session (AECO)
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Local Stakeholders
Other Stakeholders
National Stakeholders
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Isfjorden
Media mentions Svalbard
Social media discussions
Isfjorden
Walk and talk
• What are the most common sources of possible conflicts with non-members and other user groups?
• Which types of conflicts should be most concerned about – and why?
43
Break
17. juni 2024
Discussion: User conflicts
To what extent (and how) do you think the new regulations increase the risk for user conflicts? What type of conflicts?
- What is AECO and AECO member’s responsibility to avoid conflicts with other professional and local users?
- What can AECO do? And what should be the responsibility of individual members?
45
Discussion: User conflicts
What policies and guidelines should be put in place to mitigate / handle possible user conflicts?
- Specific regulations connected to sites close to local communities?
- Avoid landing close to local communities?
- Code of Conduct / Wilderness Etiquette for members?
- Other relevant measures?
46
Lunch (back at 13.00)
Discussion: Social and environmental impacts
To the extent new regulations represent increased risk of negative social or environmental impacts, what measures could we implement to reduce this?
Opening/closing/resting hours for all or some sites?
Environmental Stewardship guidelines?
Site-specific guidelines for more/new sites?
Other relevant measures?
48
Break
17. juni 2024
Session 3:
Policies and mechanisms for implementation
6/17/2024 Slide title. Change on Insert tab > Headers and Footers 50
Introduction to session (AECO)
51
Policies and mechanisms
Keeping in mind the issues we’ve discussed yesterday and today:
- Should current site-specific guidelines still apply?
- Need for change to existing or new guidelines/policies?
- Should we introduce a Wilderness-etiquette/Code of Conduct?
- Is current practice for conflict resolution appropiate?
- Other important measures?
52
Way forward
• Any particular considerations that AECO need to keep in mind?
• Any non-discussed issues that need to be considered?
53
Summary and check of conclusions
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Closing
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