High North News - English

Every year, marine scientists map the distribution of the northeastern Arctic cod in the traditional spawning areas in Lofoten and Vesterålen, Northern Norway-

This year, the marine scientists observed slightly more Northeast Arctic cod (skrei) than last year, but at the same time report a modest result.

“Despite an increase compared to last year, the amount of skrei in the expedition area can only be described as very low,” says expedition leader Knut Korsbrekke in a press release.

The expedition in the area was carried out with the research vessel "Johan Hjort" in the period from March 25 to April 6.

The results from the expedition are one of several sources of knowledge about the Northeast Arctic cod. They are included in the researchers' population calculation and quota advice for the species.

The Norwegian and Canadian coast guards have signed a new cooperation agreement, which will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the Arctic.

The agreement was signed during the Arctic Coast Guard Forum in Copenhagen last week.

In a post on Facebook, the Norwegian Navy informs that the agreement facilitates increased and long-term cooperation in education, training and exchange of personnel.

This is part of a broader international effort to strengthen security, preparedness and situational awareness in the Arctic, it further states.

Other states that participated in the forum in Copenhagen were Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and the USA.

On Thursday this week, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the first two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in the State of Alaska.

"Anticipating delivery of the first Arctic Security Cutters by the end of 2028, the Coast Guard has begun planning to ensure necessary infrastructure and support are in place to receive two icebreakers. Ensuring these vessels are supported by trained and ready crews, and ready homeport facilities including housing, will be essential to delivering full, enduring operational capability required to meet emerging Arctic security challenges," a press release from the USCG reads.

“Homeporting Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska underscores the United States’ leadership as a maritime power in the Arctic,” said Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard.

“By strategically positioning these state-of-the-art icebreakers in Alaska, the Coast Guard will maximize our ability to defend our northern border and approaches, while reinforcing America’s maritime dominance in a crucial region of strategic importance," Lunday added.

The homeporting of the first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska builds on the historic expansion of the Coast Guard’s icebreaker fleet and underscores an unprecedented investment in the Arctic, the press release states.

The announcement is furthermore described as a national milestone in U.S. Arctic capability, following contract awards for up to 11 Arctic Security Cutters.

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) has nominated Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) as the new Commissioner of the United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC).

The Commission is an independent federal agency that advises the President and Congress on U.S. research activities in the Arctic.

"The Commission is pleased to welcome Governor Dunleavy," said Thomas E. Dans, Director of USARC, in a press release.

He added that Alaska plays a central role in the nation's Arctic research efforts.

"The Governor's perspective and experience will contribute to the Commission's work to advise the President and Congress on Arctic research priorities and promote collaboration between the federal government, the State of Alaska, and Arctic communities."

At the same time, USARC thanks outgoing Commissioner Deborah Vo for her work in advancing Arctic research priorities and engaging with Arctic communities.

Several road signs with Russian text in Sør-Varanger and Kirkenes may be removed, reports the Barents Observer.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration will clarify the future of the signs, which have Cyrillic text.

The Russian street signs have caused a great deal of debate in Sør-Varanger in recent years.

"I expect the Norwegian Public Roads Administration to take action, and that the signs will be taken down fairly quickly", says Kurt Mørk Eriksen to NRK, who has been involved in getting the signs in the border municipality removed for a long time.

The signs were put up at the Norwegian-Russian border when traffic and cooperation with Russia were high. After Russia went to war in Ukraine in 2014, trade and cooperation have declined sharply.

In 2023, Norway tightened its sanctions regulations against Russia, and since then, Russian-registered passenger cars have not been allowed to cross the border.

On April 1st, Norwegian whalers could commence this year's minke whale hunt.

The quota is 1,641 animals, an increase of 235 from the previous year. Last year, 428 animals were caught.

10 vessels participated in last year's whaling. This year, 14 vessels have registered. So far, only "Reinebuen" from Lofoten in Northern Norway has begun the hunt, reports Lofotposten.

The Wallenberg family will now become the largest owner of the Swedish steel company Stegra, reports Dagens Industri.

The bill for investors that rescues the green steel company in crisis will total SEK 15 billion. The Wallenberg family and their investor collective will pay half of this sum, or SEK 7-8 billion.

Stegra, formerly H2 Green Steel, is building the world's first large-scale green steel plant in Boden in Northern Sweden, but has faced major financial problems.

A cable that are exposed in the open air makes Norway more vulnerable to sabotage. Now the National Communications Unit (Nkom) and the e-com industry are joining forces to strengthen security around critical infrastructure.

“We need to gain better control over which cables are so important that they must be better protected against damage, sabotage and outages,” says Svein Scheie, security director at Nkom according to a press release.

He believes the work is very important for digital preparedness in Norway.

According to Minister of Digitalization and Public Administration Karianne Tung (Labour), there is great economic and social value in the use of the cables.

"In the government's plan for Norway, we are investing heavily in security in the digital infrastructure. The fiber cables transport great values for Norwegian business to the world. They are the basis for us to live and work throughout the country. That is why it is so important that we secure them better against sabotage, accidents and extreme weather", says Tung.

Researchers have identified 37 subglacial lakes beneath glaciers in Canada's Arctic, 35 of them previously unknown, according to CBC News.

The study has revealed a hidden water system that could help scientists better understand how glaciers move and lose ice.

Scientists say knowing where the lakes are, and how they fill and drain, could improve our understanding of how quickly glaciers are melting and sea levels are rising. The lakes form a complex network of interconnected water bodies flowing beneath the ice, largely hidden until now.

In March, the Norwegian business Holmøy Havbruk lost 9,300 salmon after a slush flow at their facility in Fiskefjorden in Lødingen municipality, Northern Norway. According to the company, the fish probably died from acute poisoning when the avalanche masses hit the cages.

"Fortunately, reports of landslides that have hit fish farms or had negative consequences for the fish are rare," says Aud Skrudland from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority to iLaks.

This is also confirmed by the Directorate of Fisheries.

"This type of incident can occur, but very rarely," says Communications Director Anette Aase, who emphasizes that most facilities are located far enough from mountain slopes to avoid the risk of avalanches.

Avalanches have nevertheless led to consequences in the past. Troms County Council refers to facilities having had to be moved after avalanches, and recalls an incident in 2021 where a facility with 1.2 million fish was hit in the Alta fjord.