Whale-watch tours in northern Norway disrupt herring hunts and threaten fishers

The Fisheries Directorate has warned that the expansion of whale-safari tours in Norway’s northern coastal counties is creating mounting problems for both marine mammals and the local fishing fleet. Current regulations are limited to a single ordinance that does not define how close tour vessels may approach whales, leaving the activity largely unchecked. Rolf Harald Jensen, head of the Directorate’s sea service, says the increased traffic is causing whales to become stressed while hunting herring and is heightening the risk of collisions with fishing boats.

Fisheries Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen cited Iceland’s rule-based approach as a potential template, emphasizing that any new measures should originate from the tourism industry. Brim Explorer, a tour operator, documented frequent violations of informal guidelines during the winter and is calling for mandatory, enforceable standards together with Visit Tromsø-Region and other major stakeholders.