1) What new information or knowledge did you learn from this presentation?

In Dr. Holand’s presentation I learned that fish exports make a large portion of the Norwegian/Swedish economy. About 2/3 of fish come from fish farms and only 1/3 comes from wild stocks. Fish farms are in semi-shelterd areas with good depth and currents as well as close to infrastructure. These farms require exclusive access and marine spatial planning takes place at the municipality level which makes the municipalities gatekeepers for fish farms. The economic benefits of fish farms make it a desirable industry for municipalities. Often in determining marine spatial planning and whether an area will be zoned is based off factual data such as topographic features and existing structures but speculative data is often undocumented and therefore not included (such as outdoor recreational activities/use).

In Dr Stjernstrom’s presentation I leaned that Kiruna and Gallivare are two of the wealthiest municipalities in Sweden (in terms of incomes and municipal tax income). These cities have very profitable mines. Analyzing income development between 2004-2014 it was found that wage effects were related to booming mine industries as well as related professions which violates the image of the solidaric wage-system. Rather, the high wages of the mines create a kind of “spin-off” effect that elevates the wages of other jobs in the communities. These municipalities, and many others, like to plan for sustainability which consists of ecological, social and economic pillars. This can be difficult to consider and plan for when we frequently problematize and think of worst case scenarios and categorize which increases the risk of stigmatism. Furthermore, the pillars of sustainability often contradict each other. For example, developing a mine may support social and economic pillars of sustainability at the expense of environmental sustainability.

2) Are there particular aspects of the presentation you enjoyed or intrigued you and are there others that could have been improved?

I particularly enjoyed hearing from speakers that aren’t from here but are from Norway and Sweden. So frequently we get caught up in our own world and think about what research is happening in our own area, province or country. It was refreshing to hear from two speakers who have a different perspective and way of living, researching, thinking, and presenting. It really made me take a step back and look at my research in it’s entirety and how others might view it and my findings.

While I enjoyed hearing from foreign presenters, I found both Dr Holand and Dr Stjernstrom’s presentations did not flow very smoothly. I did not always connect the ideas they were presenting and found them rather disjointed. Dr. Holand’s presentation was a little difficult to follow as he seemed uncomfortable and a bit distracted which was likely due to the fact that English is not his first language. Despite this, I thought he did a good job getting through his presentation. Dr Stjernstrom seemed more comfortable speaking English but I could not always follow his train of thought throughout his presentation.

3) Are there components of the research that would be applicable or relevant to your own

Master’s research?

My study area is within the Peace Region which is heavily industrialized and also the location of Site C dam. In attempting to identify lands for conservation prioritization that may prevent industrial developments my work could damage the economic and social sustainability in the region. This is something that I had not thought of before as in conservation we often think of industry and conservation as competing land uses. It would be interesting to see if I could prioritize areas for conservation and promote landscaoe connectivity while still leaving important areas available for industrial development.

4) How well did the speaker respond to questions and is there a question you would have asked given the opportunity?

I thought Dr. Holand did a relatively good job of answering questions. He could have responded more completely but did not really delve into responses. I would have liked to hear a little bit more about how undocumented or poorly documented data could be incorporated into marine planning.

I found that Dr. Stjernstrom answered questions well. He answered questions fully and clearly and seemed confident in his responses.

I did not have any questions for Drs. Holand or Stjernstom.