- National strategy on marine bioprospecting (In Norwegian) (PDF-6 972.3 KB)
New national strategy for marine bioprospecting :
Sustainably exploiting our marine resources
Norway is investing in marine bioprospecting. A new national strategy will team researchers with industry to lay the foundation for greater value creation from marine resources.
Helga Pedersen presented the new strategy. (Photo: Ingebjørg Aadland)
Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen and State Secretary Rikke Lind of the Ministry of Trade and Industry presented the strategy in Tromsø on 8 September. Marine bioprospecting holds a potential for knowledge enhancement and value creation that makes it an important strategic area, not least in the Government's High North Strategy.
The new strategy's points of action include:
- Establishing regulations relating to the search for and collection of marine organisms
- Establishing a national network for marine biobanks
- Strengthening research and commercialisation activities through the Research Council
- Assigning priority to collections from the Arctic and other extreme habitats
Additional funding
Funding of approximately NOK 29 million has already been allocated in the current year for enhancing infrastructure, networks, research and commercialisation. This is to be followed up by a substantial funding boost in 2010.
"The Research Council of Norway will be a key player in further developing research and innovation related to marine bioprospecting," confirmed Minister Pedersen in presenting the strategy. As a general rule, the associated research will be organised as an initiative under the Research Council's Large-scale Programme Functional Genomics in Norway (FUGE). Testing of the research ideas with a view to commercialisation will also be conducted under the auspices of the Research Council.
(Photo: Marbank)
The Research Council has already received NOK 10 million from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the development of national research expertise and infrastructure through measures including the formation of a network for marine biobanks.
Willingness to invest
Anne Kjersti Fahlvik.
"We are very pleased that the Government is putting forward a strategy that so clearly demonstrates a resolve to invest in marine bioprospecting - in terms of both research funding and laying the foundation for enhancing commercialisation structures," said Anne Kjersti Fahlvik, Executive Director of the Division for Strategic Priorities at the Research Council of Norway.
She noted that the strategy is in keeping with the recommendations submitted by the Research Council in cooperation with the other funding bodies, Innovation Norway and the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway (SIVA), as well as by the Government's expert panel on the High North.
- Published:
- 24.09.2009
- Last updated:
- 25.09.2009
Attachments
Contact
- Anne Kjersti Fahlvik Executive Director 22 03 72 80 akf@forskningsradet.no
- Steinar Bergseth Special Adviser 22 03 73 23 stb@forskningsradet.no
