Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks Fish

Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs speaks Fish to the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters during the 150th Anniversary Symposium “Politics and Law – Energy and Environment in the Far North” held two days ago.

First let's look at how Academics play a role in Norwegian Success. Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had this to say:

In my view, knowledge drives development. Knowledge made available to all drives societies and individuals towards freedom and more responsibility. Therefore, the creation of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters – Det norske Videnskaps-akademi – 150 years ago stands out as a major sign of progress – an important step towards Norway’s independence, towards the establishment of the rule of law in a democratic sovereign state, and even towards an awareness of the need to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.


When it came to discussing fish - the Norwegian Minister demonstrates how that country has learned from Newfoundland and Labrador - are we really ready to learn from them? Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said this:

The depletion of important fish stocks is easily achieved, as we have repeatedly seen. In fact this phenomenon ranks among the leading threats not only to global ecosystems but also to our ability to feed a growing world population. Faced with the challenge of illegal fishing in the Barents Sea, it is as tempting as it is frightening to remind our audiences of the fate of the cod stocks in the waters off Newfoundland. We know this all too well: The restoration of fish stocks is not easily achieved.

To read the Complete Speech Press HERE