In train for the seabirds
SoS - The Seabird Conference in Bodø and Fleinvær, April 3-4, 2024, brought together researchers, managers, politicians, artists and seabird enthusiasts from Nordland. The conference in Bodø ended with the participants wearing bird masks and marching through the city to highlight all the red-listed seabird species.
Almost 100 people turned up in Bodø to attend the SoS - Seabird Conference and the next day 60 went to Fleinvær to visit the traditional bird sanctuary south of Bodø. The aim of the conference was to put the seabird situation on the agenda of central, regional and local authorities. It was also to engage the individual in how we can help seabirds to improve breeding success.
Silence in the bird cliffs and downy weather
The starting point for the conference was the dramatic situation for seabirds: In the bird cliffs of Norway, 8 out of 10 birds have disappeared in the last 50 years. Once upon a time, more than 5,000 eiders nested in Fleinvær. Now there are only a few dozen left. In Vegaøyan there were almost 20,000 eiders in 1980. In 2023, there were 2,200.
Bird watchers Hildegunn Nordum from Lånan and Magne Jensen from Fleinvær opened the conference by explaining what they are experiencing and seeing: a decline in nesting birds, food shortages in the sea and predation. They call for more research and knowledge about the situation and what can be done to help seabirds.
They were joined by scientists who, from their point of view, talked about research to understand, explain and communicate how seabirds can be helped. See links to lectures, articles and news items.
Great commitment
Speakers, participants and politicians alike were highly engaged in group work and discussions in the part of the conference dedicated to dialogue.
There was a similar level of enthusiasm when, on day two of the conference, 60 participants traveled to traditional Fleinvær and were welcomed by locals who are trying to preserve both the eider tradition and the settlement on the island.
The participants in both Bodø and Fleinvær agreed that the work for seabirds must be followed up through, among other things, the seabird conference to be held in Vega on July 3, that a network should be established with the participants from the conference and that work should be done with central authorities.
Links to lectures and media reports
Bente Sundsvold and Tone-Kristin Reiertsen - alliances for action
Nina Vik - UN Nature Panel IPBES
Tycho Anker-Nilssen - NINA Seabirds reflect the state of the sea
From 3.40 min: https://www.nrk.no/video/distriktsnyheter-nordland
https://www.nrk.no/nordland/sjofugldemonstrasjon
https://tv.nrk.no/serie/norge-i-dag/202404/DVFJ20040924/avspiller
Art and silent actions
Artists have been involved in SoS in the work leading up to the conference in Bodø and Fleinvær with the project VAGRANT.
At Beddingen Prosjektrom/Prosjekt67 there was an exhibition with a sound installation by Alexander Rishaug, sculptural works by Toril Bonsaksen and poetic eider duck houses by KVAE & BARK, as well as a musical performance by cellist Maja Bugge.
As part of VAGRANT The exhibition "Seabird Archive on the Way Home" was also shown, which is an exhibition based on the Seabird Archive UIT/ Brattrein 1975-78. The exhibition was created by birdwatcher and artist Vibeke Steinsholm in collaboration with architect Magnus Vågan. The exhibition provides a documentary, in-depth insight into the thousand-year-old management traditions of harvesting and gathering in the bird refuges along the entire Nordland coast from Vega and Brønnøyværene in the south to Steigen in the north.
At Fleinvær, artist Eva Bakkeslett showed films from Sandøy in Træna with Jann Sandøy. The two also had a conversation. Artist Elin Már Øyen Vister talked about and showed sound works about the decline of birds in the bird cliffs at Vedøy on Røst. Since 2010, the artist has documented the vulnerable life of seabirds on Røst, and has created several soundscapes based on this painstaking documentation.
Musician Håvard Lund, local host and owner of the Arctic Hideaway project at Fleinvær, had a conversation with artist Are Andreassen about Fleinvær and also performed with his bass clarinet with improvisation and a beautiful end to the conference.
