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Norway

Crown Prince Haakon: “We must protect the ocean”

In light rain, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon opened Tuesday the Nor-Fishing 2018 fair in Trondheim. “Fortunately, we have a tent,” said a happy Crown Prince to the press when he arrived.

The Nor-Fishing fair has, since 1960, been an important national and international meeting place for the fisheries industry. Today, it is one of the most significant fisheries technology exhibitions in the world. In recent years, the display has drawn around 15,000 visitors from about 50 countries. During Nor-Fishing, numerous seminars, mini-conferences, lectures, debates and presentations are held. There are also various social events both during the day and in the evening.

Following the solemn opening, Crown Prince Haakon held a longer speech. In his remarks, His Royal Highness said: “I think maybe we have something in common – and that is the love of being at sea. This summer, I have been playing in the waves both in the south of Norway and at Stad. And at the end of the summer, we had the opportunity, together with the whole family, to go way up north to Svalbard – which was fantastic”.

His Royal Highness talks with representatives from the Norwegian fishing industry during his visit to Trondheim. Photo: Christian Lagaard / The Royal Court

This fair has a long royal history. It is this year 110 years since the Crown Prince’s great-grandfather, King Haakon VII opened the first Scandinavian fisheries exhibition in 1908; this fair has been a vital venue for the business.

The Crown Prince also marked is fight for a cleaner ocean. His Royal Highness said: “However, if we are to realise this tremendous potential, we must make sure that our harvest from the seas is sustainable. We must protect the fisheries resources so that they are not over-exploited, and we must protect the ocean so that it offers a viable habitat for marine life”.

It was Norway’s new fisheries minister Harald Tom Nesvik who welcomed the Crown Prince. He was in a good mood when he met with Crown Prince Haakon at the fair. Minister Nesvik was appointed Minister of Fishery in Norway last week following a political crisis which ended when His Majesty the King summoned the government for an extraordinary Council of State to allow changes in the current government.

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.