The Norwegian Navy is under pressure after it emerged that the Navy was warned months before it sank the decommissioned frigate KNM Bergen in a key fishing area near Sveinsgrunnen.
The sinking took place during a major exercise outside Andøya and Senja in September. The wreck, its anchor and up to 300 metres of chain now lie on the seabed in a critical zone for net, line and seine fishing.
The warning was sent in May
A letter from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, dated May 21, advised the military that the location was central to active fisheries and that any exercise there would create conflict and displacement. The Directorate suggested moving the target further south into deeper water to reduce risk.
Despite this, KNM Bergen was anchored and then torpedoed at around 125 metres depth. No fishing organisations were consulted before the action.
Industry says cooperation is at risk
Fiskebåt, the organisation representing the Norwegian ocean-going fleet, says the incident shows a lack of respect for established cooperation between defence operations, space activity at Andøya, and fisheries.
The group says this is part of a growing burden on the area from military and rocket testing activities.
“We understand the need for exercises. But the advice pointed to problems. This could and should have been avoided,” says Tor Are Vaskinn of Fiskebåt.
Calls for the removal of the wreck
Fiskebåt demands that the wreck, its anchor and chain be removed, or at the very least marked on BarentsWatch to prevent gear damage and ghost fishing.
The organisation warns that continued disregard for fisheries input could undermine the cooperation framework.