Båtsfjord, East Finnmark
Beneath the surface in Finnmark, there was a forest.
The kelp forest
A single square metre of kelp forest can hold more than 100,000 animals, large and small.
A nursery for fish
Young fish grow up here – the forest matters for fisheries all along the coast.
Nature’s climate solution
Kelp absorbs CO₂ and produces oxygen.
But …
Across much of Northern Norway, the forest is gone.
Urchin barren
Sea urchins have grazed the kelp away. Only bare rock is left.
5,000 km²
That much of the Norwegian coast is urchin barren – most of it in the north.
The action
Local fishers remove the sea urchins with traps.
Traps and ROV
Removing sea urchins with traps and underwater drones is an effective, proven method.
Regrowth
Once the urchins are gone, the kelp can grow back.
More life in the fjord
Shelter and food for fish, small creatures and the whole ecosystem.
Phase 1 · 10 km²
Between 24,000 and 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ uptake.
Båtsfjord