Several countries, including Sweden, have criticized Norway's plans for deep-sea mining. However, a Swedish company has now been granted permission to explore the possibilities of extracting mineral nodules from the seabed off Skellefteå in the Gulf of Bothnia.
The conflicts within Swedish fishing are very fierce. Small-scale coastal fishermen on the east and south coasts face a small number of giant trawlers from the West Coast. I was looking forward to tough discussions and fruitful exchanges at this year's Fishing Forum. But met with pleasant company in a luxurious mingling environment.
I am now forbidden to fish for cod and the pike has disappeared from my bay. I'm looking for scapegoats. Who is responsible for the condition below the surface in the Baltic Sea? Small-scale professional fishermen along the east coast have been raising the alarm for several years that the herring has declined sharply. At the same time, the large-scale trawling in the open sea has continued to catch large quantities, which have gone directly to the fishmeal factories in Denmark.
In recent years, the stickleback has increased dramatically in the Baltic Sea. According to an as yet unpublished study that Vetenskapsradion has taken part in, it is estimated that in some places there is eleven times as much stickleback as it was 20 years ago.
Herring fishing in the Baltic Sea should shrink sharply next year, according to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The stock is at levels close to or below what is considered sustainable.
The North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia have been singled out for future offshore wind power. Several authorities have tried to find suitable areas - but different interests are fighting each other.
