Sustainability award for study on wind power and fisheries
Cecilia Axelsson Örberg, a former student on the Master's programme in Sea and Society, has won the University of Gothenburg's Sustainability Thesis Award. Her thesis subject is about how fish stocks are affected by offshore wind power.
Congratulations! How does it feel?
"It feels fantastic! It's great to have your work recognised in this way and the award shows that the work I've done is important."
Why did you choose to write about offshore wind power?
"I became interested in offshore wind power early on in the Master's programme in Sea and Society. It's a complex area with many perspectives. I wanted to see if offshore wind power could be used to regenerate damaged marine ecosystems."
How did you do it?
"I studied three planned wind power projects in the Skagerrak: Mareld, Västvind, and Poseidon. I modelled what would happen to fish and shellfish stocks if fishing was stopped in these areas. I then supplemented this with interviews with local fishermen."
What are your main conclusions?
"I have three main findings. Firstly, if we see floating wind turbines as a way to protect areas from bottom trawling, it can have a very large protective effect and increase the potential catch in the area. This is despite the fact that a large part of the area can no longer be fished. For Norway lobster, the recovery and protection would allow the potential catch in the wind farm area to reach 97 per cent of the previous catch in a ten-year period. In this way, it would almost completely compensate for the catches that are wasted in the area where the wind farm is located and where it is no longer possible to bottom trawl."
"Secondly, there is a need for clearer authorisation processes. It matters a lot how processes are designed. Who gets a say, when and how."
"Thirdly, I have come to the conclusion that fishing and offshore wind power can co-exist. This requires us to change the way we fish and switch to more gentle fishing methods than bottom trawling. For example, cages could be used around and in wind farms."
What did the fishermen you interviewed say?
"They said it is too expensive to change to other types of fishing gear. To change the way they fish, the government needs to have a plan for commercial fishing and offer compensation for changing fishing methods. At the moment, many fishermen are tied up with large loans on their boats."
Have you received any attention for the paper besides the prize?
"Yes, very much. I have been invited to speak at several seminars on offshore wind power, both for industry and authorities. Among other things, I have presented the work to the EU Scientific Council ICES. Just today, I spoke to a Norwegian research project called Impact Wind, where both industry and authorities are involved. And on 5 December, I will hold a lunch webinar on the thesis organised by the Centre for Sea and Society here at the University of Gothenburg."
Interview: Karl-Johan Nylén
Name: Cecilia Axelsson Örberg
Age: 28
Education: Bachelor's degree in Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University and Master's degree in Sea and Society, University of Gothenburg (finalised June 2024)
Work: GIS specialist at the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland
Master thesis: Can offshore wind farms offer regenerative solutions for depleted fish stocks?
From the motivation: "With its thoughtful discussion and robust methodology, the paper, with its strong relevance to sustainability research and practice, is well worthy of the GUSTA Prize."
About the GUSTA Prize: The prize recognises students who have contributed to outstanding achievements in the field of sustainable development. The winners are selected by a scientific committee consisting of five professors from five faculties at the University of Gothenburg.
