the Party’s a programme committee let Monday up what they call a three-pronged solution in the question of whether oil and gas activities off Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja.
– This is a particularly vulnerable area where there is a need to show great caution, particularly in respect of the important fiskeriinteressene, says the Ap leader Jonas Gahr Støre in a press release.
The three part solution is a part of the proposed charters for the period 2017-2021. A total a programme committee, with the exception of the AUFs representative, endorses the solution.
Strict standards
– the Labour party is particularly concerned that the activity should provide stronger ripple effects locally in the North of Norway and will set more stringent requirements to the oil companies about this, emphasises.
the Proposal means that the sea area outside the Lofoten islands in a belt of 50 km from the land, be made to the petroleumsfri zone. The whole of the Vestfjord be defined also as petroleumsfritt area. In addition, it provided support to the establishment of the Lofotodden national park.
– So we want to make sure that the Lofoten islands are oil-free. Here we place great emphasis on the consideration of the fiskenæringen, tourism and the protection of the unique natural areas on and around the Moskeneshalvøya, ” says Støre.
Discussion about whether it should be opened for oil drilling in the waters outside Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja, have raged since the mid-1970s.
* the Right and the progress party want oil operations in these areas, and the Ap has wanted to konsekvensutrede areas. The other parties in Parliament will not have petroleum activities in these areas.
* the Right and the progress party are in this election period bound by the cooperation agreement with the Progress and Left, saying that it is not to be opened for an impact assessment of the areas.
* Opponents fear the consequences for nature, the environment, the fishing industry and tourism by a large oljeuhell. Supporters believe the likelihood of an accident is very small.
* the Norwegian petroleum directorate estimates that in total there are 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in the investigated sea areas outside Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja. 36 per cent of instances are gas, 64% oil.
Source: NTB
Open for environmental impact assessment
In the area furthest away from the Lofoten islands, called Nordland 6, open the Labor party, an environmental impact assessment.
It is located closest to the areas where it is already the recovered oil and gas today, and where we have infrastructure in place for petroleum industry, says Ap-the leader.
areas Of Nordland 7 and Troms 2 will Ap “wait on the updated knowledge”.
This knowledge will come in the comprehensive management plan for Lofoten and the Barents sea, which will be revised in the coming stortingsperiode.
– only after this knowledge is up to date, we will consider whether it is justifiable to open the environmental impact assessment of petroleum activities in these areas.
the Matter to be discussed at the party’s profile that starts in Oslo 20. april.
Ap-fisherman: the Total unacceptable
Holger Pedersen, is a fisherman and member of the board of Vågan Ap. He thinks it is a paradox that the environmental impact assessment of the field in the Nordland 6 is launched as a compromise.
– It is here we have had the largest occurrences of spawning cod in the last 15-20 years. This is totally unacceptable, ” says Pedersen to Aftenposten.
– Put out bait
He believes public opinion and the attitude of the party has turned around completely the last few years and there are now far between oljetilhengerne in the north.
This is a bait they put out, presents it as a compromise and hope we still bite, ” he says. Pedersen hopes the party will not allow themselves to be deceived and say no to all impact assessment in the contested areas. He recalls that the export of seafood can be greater than oil and gas in 2035.
“We must focus on the resources we have for perpetuity,” he says.
Vågan municipality is one of the Lofoten islands-municipalities that have gone against the environmental impact assessment.
Group leader in Vågan Ap, Lena Amalie Hamnes says to Aftenposten that she is glad for the compromise.
– This shows a clear movement in the Ap, and it is important that the Store is aware that there is concern for the fish that is a priority, ” she says.
Happy fylkesleder in Troms
In the state of minnesota is the party’s leader happy with a more restrictive policy.
– This is not our primærstandpunkt, but is still a compromise we can live with. It is an important step on the road toward a more restrictive line, ” says Cecilie Terese Myrseth, chairman of the Troms county Party.
She admits that it probably will be Ap-members and union representatives and many others who will be disappointed.
But one must both give and take in compromise. This is a compromise most can live with and which must be included if one wants to lead the country, ” says Myrseth.
- A good compromise, no one is very happy
– well This is a decision that no one is very happy with. It takes I as an expression for that it is a good compromise, ” says Ingalill Olsen, who is the leader of the Labour party in the north.
We know that there is a huge stretch in our team, there are strong opinions and much disagreement about how these areas should be managed. I believe the committee has done a good piece of work and put forward a compromise that I think will serve both the nation, the region and the party. In Finnmark we have the solid experience that it is possible to drive both the oil industry and fishing in the same waters, ” says Olsen, who is hoping the proposal goes through congress.
– In that case I look forward to going in the election with such a position, ” assures she.
– Should have been examined
” We think the areas outside Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja contains large values in the form of oil and gas. Therefore, we believe it would be the right thing to konsekvensutrede the impact of the activity in these areas in line with past practice. One at the first, and concludes afterwards, “says Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen, managing director of Oil and gas – a special interest organisation and employers’ association for the industry.
– the Fishing and oil can be combined
The earlier Ap-the top who have had multiple statsrådsposter, believes it will be possible to combine fisheries and the oil industry in the area.
– We have behind us 50 years of good collaboration on the Norwegian continental shelf, ” he says.
He is pleased that the Labor party, at least go in for a study of Nordland 6.
We think you should examined the entire area, but this is a step in the right direction, ” he says.
Think the issue is central in the election
– You know the a couple of pieces in the Labour party. We now talk with them?
“We work in the whole society to promote the importance the oil industry has for the welfare and jobs,” says Schjøtt-Pedersen.
He believes the case will become central in the election.
Very many people are concerned about the impact oil and gas has for the country’s income, welfare and jobs. I think it will be relationship that will get attention in the election campaign, ” he says.
Dissatisfied AUF-leader
AUF-leader Mani Hussaini do not think the proposal is no compromise, and believes the proposal “is not good enough”.
– This is an area the oil industry has dribbled on for a long time. Already in 2011 they said that they were willing to give up the battle for Nordland 7 and Troms 2, as long as they got the Nordland 6. Nordland 6 is the most important spawning area for cod and haddock along the coast, ” says Hussaini in a press release.
Forward against the Labour party’s profile will AUF mobilize the whole of Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja should be oil-free.
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