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Political - Lysekils municipality
Can you tell briefly about your business and your role in the municipality?
My name is Maria Kilbo and I work as a tourism manager in Lysekil municipality. My colleague is Anne Gunnäs and she works as a business developer. She is responsible for areas such as maritime development, energy, materials, food, and more.
How important is tourism in your municipality?
Tourism is very important in Lysekil municipality. Many small towns survive year-round thanks to tourism, and residents in the municipality benefit from tourism during the summer when restaurants and events liven up the area. Tourism also contributes money to the municipality, both from tourists and summer residents. An example of this is Fiskebäckskil, where only 10% are year-round residents. Therefore, tourism is incredibly important for Lysekil municipality, and the community would not survive without summer guests and tourism.
Are there any current political factors that you believe affect tourism (such as taxes, laws, political stability, etc.)?
For example, in the municipality, we can influence tourism through a small event budget. This budget allows us to organize a few events and choose between different events. An example of this is that we are organizing a sustainability week in the fall because we want to attract people to visit Lysekil all year-round. Through events, we can attract a certain type of people, in this case, "sustainable" visitors.
In the larger perspective, there are other things that can affect tourism. For example, if taxes and fees are introduced that make it more expensive to live in Sweden, it will affect tourism. However, as it stands now, the Swedish crown is so weak that more foreign visitors come here because it is cheap to live here. At the same time, it is expensive for us Swedes to travel abroad, which may make us choose to stay at home and discover what our own country has to offer. Of course, some factors such as exchange rates and other global economic trends are part of a larger context and are largely outside of local political control. Although these factors may affect tourism, it is still important to emphasize that many people want to visit Sweden for the scenic environment, fresh climate, good food, and that destinations are easily accessible.
Do you experience that the tourism industry is affected by changes in government? Both at the national and municipal level.
No, we have not noticed that tourism has been affected by the latest change of government! Tourism is much more local and therefore influenced by the political decisions made at the local level in our own organization. Such decisions can, for example, be event strategies that we talked about earlier or other guidelines for outdoor seating or similar. On the other hand, politics at a national level can affect global tourism and the way people travel on a more global level.
How do you see the industry developing in the coming years?
During the pandemic, people stayed at home much more than before, which resulted in a huge increase in tourism in our municipality. But when it subsided, we saw a decrease in the number of visitors to our website, which could possibly indicate that the number of tourists decreased instead. Now we are seeing an increase again, as people have regained their interest in traveling. People are increasingly thinking and acting in a more climate-smart and sustainable way, which we believe will also be a contributing factor to this increase, as our municipality is such a place.
Another trend that we see has become more and more prevalent in recent years is that tourists like to gain some kind of knowledge or experience when they travel. They don't just want to go somewhere, they want to gain some form of knowledge while they are away. Here, we as a municipality can be involved and promote activities that align with this trend.
How does the municipality collaborate with local communities and stakeholders to ensure that tourist activities are carried out in a responsible and respectful manner?
The guides that we collaborate with, for example, have certification, which enables us to ensure that such activities are carried out in a responsible manner. However, it is also the case that many different events come to us where we do not always have the opportunity to follow up on them. However, we trust that the events that are appreciated here and that are recurring year after year are carried out responsibly, which becomes our type of quality assurance for our visitors. There is also a high level of awareness among people today, which means that activities that are not carried out correctly will no longer be supported by visitors and will therefore automatically disappear.
Is there any data that you are missing or interested in? Temperature?
Yes! We would definitely be interested in temperature data. We would like to show temperature data on our website so the visitors can see the bath temperature in different places while they are traveling in our municipality.
Economic - SeaSea
Briefly tell us about your business and your role in the company
Our business consists of two parts. Firstly, we have “Byggplast och Båtprylar”, which is a wholesaler selling to shipyards and stores around Sweden and also some in Denmark. In addition to that, we have our own retail chain called SeaSea boat accessories that caters to consumers. Currently, we have 30 stores, some of which are owned by us and others are franchise-owned. My role involves being a part of the marketing department and I am responsible for marketing and sales for both companies.
What would you say are the main economic factors affecting sea tourism?
Boating is often the last priority. If one has a shortage of money, they will spend it on something other than their boat. This is something we have against us, that people prioritize other things such as gardening and travel. Looking back over the past few years when there has been a pandemic, people have not been able to travel as much, which has benefited us as many people have instead spent their vacation in Sweden. This has also led to many new people finding their way to boating, which has resulted in growth in the industry. Hopefully, we can also retain these customers.
Have you seen any changes in the industry in recent years? How do people engage in sea tourism?
In recent years, electronics on boats have increased, which means we sell a lot of solar cells, chargers, and batteries. We also sell more lithium batteries as they charge faster.
At the moment, we are in an economic recession which we experience due to many not prioritizing owning a boat. The most significant loss we experience is due to people not changing boats or buying new ones. When people invest in a new boat, they often buy accessories for it, so if boats aren't sold, accessories aren't sold as much either. However, there are still plenty of boats out there, and their owners will always use them. So, we'll always make some sales, but when fewer people are buying boats, we do see a decrease in sales.
However, we haven't really noticed any changes in how people go boating. Boating does not seem to decrease even though fuel prices have gone up. It also depends on the choices people make. Some choose to buy an airline ticket and go on vacation abroad while those who own a boat usually prioritize spending their vacation budget on it.
Is it a growing or declining industry?
I think that due to the ongoing recession, the market for boat accessories will decrease.
Do you have any thoughts on how the declining state of the ocean affects sea tourism?
It definitely affects it and a lot has happened in the recent years. New laws and regulations have been introduced that affect tourists. For example, many boat clubs have become much stricter about what color people use on the bottom of their boats. Even if the state has not imposed a ban, the boat clubs themselves have banned certain types of paint. There have also been regulations about not being allowed to empty septic tanks directly in the sea. I think that it is very good that things are moving forward and getting better for the environment! People do not like algal blooms, and thus, more and more people want to be involved and have an impact.
Do you have any thoughts or perspectives on our idea of measuring turbidity and temperature?
If the water quality is poor, no one will want to go boating, therefore I think that it is a good idea!
Do you have any interest in any type of data?
We don't have a huge use for any data, but something that would be interesting to know is about bottom paints, how much metals are still present in the water. There is often a lot of old stuff that remains.
Social - Lisa Magnusson
Please provide a brief introduction about yourself.
I am a 48-year-old shipping agent living by the coast. I grew up by the sea and have always enjoyed being out on a boat. Since I was a child, I have spent the summer on the sea with my parents, and now with my own family. We own a motorboat, a Forbina, which we can sleep in, and a smaller motorboat for day trips.
How do you usually engage in tourism at sea?
We usually go on a boat vacation for about 1-3 weeks each year. We head north to Bohuslän, roughly up to Fjällbacka, and spend our nights and days along the way in natural harbors and ports before heading back south. When we don't have vacation time to travel that far, we usually spend our days or weekends in natural harbors near Gothenburg.
What is the best thing about being a tourist by sea?
The best thing about being a tourist at sea with our own boat is the freedom it provides. We have the freedom to go wherever we want and avoid the crowds at the beaches by the coast. Additionally, the sea and nature are incredibly beautiful.
Can you describe what factors have influenced or impacted your experience with tourism at sea?
The primary factor that affects our tourism is the weather. We prefer not to use the boat if it is too windy or if the weather is generally bad.
Other people also influence our tourism experience. When we go on a boat vacation, we always go with family and friends, which means we are highly influenced by their behavior. We visit the same places and take vacation at the same time. Our behaviors at sea may also be similar, such as how we always dock by throwing an anchor and mooring by the island. However, it is common for others to anchor a bit farther out or tie up at a buoy and then take a dinghy to land. In short, humans are social creatures, and we tend to behave similarly to those around us.
Another aspect that has influenced us is that overcrowding in certain areas at sea has become more usual. We have noticed this more in recent years, as I believe many people bought boats during the pandemic when traveling abroad was not possible. As a result, it has become more difficult to find a secluded spot, and the islands have become increasingly crowded.
Dockspot is another factor that has affected us since it was introduced a few years ago. It is a feature that requires pre-booking of spots in several ports. While this may be good for some, it has made our vacation more complicated. We like to be spontaneous and enjoy the freedom to go wherever we want whenever we want, but with Dockspot, this flexibility has diminished. Now we must plan and book in advance, or else there will be no available spots.
In recent years, there have also been regulations that have affected us. For example, it is now forbidden to empty the septic tank into the sea. We believe this is a good thing as it ensures that the sea is kept clean and suitable for swimming.
Furthermore, technological advancements have made boating more comfortable. We have solar panels on our boat, which allows us to stay out longer periods without having to go back to the port to recharge. Electricity also allows for hot and cold water on the boat. Additionally, advancements in boat technology have made a significant impact. It is much faster to travel from point A to point B with a new motorboat than it was when I was a child when we had a sailboat. Now, during our boat vacation, we can be much more flexible.
What do you think the future of the offshore tourism industry looks like? Do you think people will start traveling differently?
I think there may be some form of saturation after the pandemic or perhaps even a decrease as people want to travel abroad again. On the other hand, people may have less money due to inflation and other factors, which may lead them to choose to vacation at home with their boats. People may also be affected by the increased fuel prices and may not go out with their boats or perhaps not travel as far. I think maybe there won't be as many people buying new boats in the near future due to the economy, but those who own boats will continue to use them.
How much do environmental changes affect your tourism?
I haven't thought much about this, but one thing that affects us is water quality. We want to be able to swim and feel that the water is fresh. We are very careful not to litter in nature. When we leave a place, it should always look the same as when we arrived.
Would you be interested in collecting data with our innovation? Do you have any tips of how we could improve it?
Your idea sounds great and we would definitely like to use it. It seems like a very good way to keep children engaged and contribute to something positive! It also sounds like a lot of fun with the game and integrating learning for children, both in the app and technically by building the sensor. Something that would be fun would be if the octopus changed color in different water temperatures!
Social - Ingela Hansson
Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Ingela Hansson, I am 59 years old and I live in Strömstad. I also have a house at Skaftö so I spend a lot of time there as well. I work as a teacher at a middle school where I am qualified to teach all subjects.
How do you usually travel at sea? What is the best and what is important to you? Why do you choose to travel by sea?
We usually go out by sailboat or kayak. We've had our own sailboat for 35 years now. It's important for us that the environment is clean and that there aren't too many boats out, so we usually don't go out with the boat during July when there are a lot of people out at sea. In addition to this, we think it's very important to respect the Right of Public Access and for people to understand the incredible asset that the environment is. A big reason why we choose to be at the sea is for relaxation. We like the simplicity of when we are out with the boat at the sea, and we enjoy it very much. This has been passed on to our children, who continue to do activities out at sea. They have been raised to be in nature and understand how to behave there, which they have greatly appreciated. For me, this is very important both as a person and as a teacher. It's both a privilege and a responsibility to know how to behave in nature, and therefore it's something I talk a lot about with my students as well.
What factors affect your tourism?
The environment is very important to our tourism, both with the sailboat and the kayak. The wind matters a lot, especially for sailing. "A sailor doesn't wait for wind, he learns to sail". It's about using what already exists. We try to use the available wind and do not start the engine as soon as the wind dies down. There is no need to rush.
How much do environmental changes affect your tourism? Do you have any thoughts about this?
We see a lot of algal blooms when we are out sailing, which is very sad. It is not very pleasant to swim there, so if algal blooms occur we go to other places instead. The problem with algal blooms had less attention before, but I'm not sure how it has changed over the years. It has been talked about quite a bit for many years.
I have walked a lot along the coast both with my family and with my students to clean up the beach. Since we have done it a lot, we have been able to identify a lot of the litter and which countries it comes from the most, as well as which beaches have more or less litter.
Do you have any thoughts on the future of the industry? Do you think people will travel in other ways?
Difficult question! What we can see is that boats have become bigger. Nowadays, people probably want more comfort when they are on their boats. We have also noticed that day trips have become more common since the pandemic. I also have a feeling that there are more motorboats now than there have been in the past.
For the future, it is important that we take care of what we have. As a teacher, one has the power to ensure that future generations understand the value and importance of being in clean nature. We all need to understand the meaning of the fact that we are the ones that affect the environment for future generations.
Would you be interested in collecting data with our sensor and do you have any input of how we could make our idea even better?
Today's youth (ages 10-13) are quite hard to impress. The activity must be relatively fast-paced and not too repetitive, otherwise they often get bored. They also need to have parents who are interested in the activity in order to involve the child, it's very important with engaged parents. However, there are always children who are extra interested and find it exciting on their own.
In the instructions for building the sensor, it is good to include image support to involve the children in the building process. Youth are very skilled at programming and learn very quickly. This applies to young children as well, which makes it appropriate to target even younger children for your sensor. They can be incredibly creative and find it very enjoyable, but again it is about finding those who are passionate about something in order to spread it further.
Since you are a middle school teacher, do you think it could be interesting to build the sensor and play the game in school and use it in education?
I definitely think it's a great idea! However, it's necessary that the school is located within walking distance to the sea, as there's very little money available for bus trips, etc. If the sensor were to be used in school, you could basically incorporate all subjects into the work around it! It also means that children whose parents aren't as interested in technology and the environment also get the opportunity to engage with the sensor through engaged teachers!
Technical - Stena Teknik
Tell us briefly about your business and your role in the company
Stena Teknik are developing ships and technology with focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.
I work as a project manager with various projects within the different business units.
How does the development in technology, such as digitalization, automation or data analysis, affect tourism at sea?
New technology has resulted in more energy efficient operations. This is good for the environment where tourism takes place, however, I am not working directly with the end customer, and it is therefore difficult to answer this question. Smart systems and digitalization can most likely enable simpler booking and payment systems, which can provide a better experience for the tourist. I also believe that based on data analysis, ferry schedules and ship operations can be adapted to suit the customer needs.
Do you see any trends/developments within maritime tourism? Is there any technological innovation or similar that you see has affected and changed the industry?
A major development is something called "smart ships". These are ships that, for example, use various sensors to interpret the environment and drive the ship forward in the most optimal way possible. Factors in the environment can be weather, depth, and currents, but it can also be the ship's own conditions. These smart ships also use historical data to predict and plan ahead. This results in an optimal propulsion of the ships and enables them to be driven in the most efficient and fuel-efficient way possible. These ships can provide a better experience for tourists while also being environmentally and economically beneficial. Another development in recent years is the electrification of ships and as a result there are now many electrical and hybrid ships operating in the world.
Do you see any challenges or opportunities related to technology for you in the future? (Predictions for the next 10 years)
As an example, there is currently a transition to electrification and battery systems that needs to be charged from onshore power grids.. The challenge in that is that there are large ships that require a lot of energy which need to be transferred to the vessels. Similarly, keeping up with the development of automation is both a challenge and an opportunity. We constantly need to adapt to comply with coming requirements and also strive to be in the forefront of the development.
How has ocean pollution affected your operations?
There are now various options of different fuels available and that vessels operate on.
Furthermore, environmental changes have impacted the development of ships and their systems. One example is the need for ballast water treatment systems to prevent organisms to be introduced into new environments where they can become invasive. Ballast water is taken into the ship's ballast tanks to provide stability and allow the vessel to operate efficiently. These systems are used to clean the ballast water before it is discharged back into the ocean.
How can technology be used to promote sustainable tourism practices in the offshore environment?
Based on my role and our operations, our primary focus is to provide efficient and environmentally friendly methods of transportation. This can be achieved by developing more eco-friendly engines and technology that allow ships to travel more efficiently and consume less energy.
Environmental - Sotenäs Municipality
Tell us briefly about your business and your role in the company
I have worked in many different areas, including tourism, industry, handicrafts, and as a teacher at the University of West. For the past three years, I have been working at the Sotenäs symbiosis center, which is part of the municipality. This part only works within various projects and supports other functions within the municipality. The Sotenäs symbiosis center also aims to connect different industries in symbiosis networks and thus enables a circular economy.
My role at the Sotenäs symbiosis center is called symbiosis developer, but can also be called project manager. I also have "a foot" in the Sotenäs marine recycling center, which is the only one in Sweden. The recycling center collects materials such as old fishing gear that is picked up from the bottom, but also material that has been in nature before. This is then sorted to see what they can become new products and thus get them into the material flow and close the circle.
What role does the marine environment play in your municipality and how do you ensure its protection?
The role of the marine environment depends on the perspective you start from. For example, fishermen have one perspective, the researchers in Kristineberg another, and I who work within the municipality another. 80% of Sweden's entire economic marine food industry comes from Sotenäs, so from this perspective, the marine environment has a very significant role for the municipality. From my work perspective, it is about always starting from the sea in my work. All processes for symbiosis are linked to the sea.
What challenges do you see in maintaining a sustainable operation in the marine tourism industry and how do you try to overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges is that it is such a broad subject with many different perspectives to consider and view from. This is in order to convey a fair picture. Everyone looks from their own perspective and thus there is not really anyone who sees the whole. I have just run and completed a project - sustainable knowledge tourism. I saw a need for more people to look at sustainable transformation. This includes both people who visit Sotenäs but also many industries and companies who saw an increased pressure to focus on sustainable transformation. There is a completely different willingness to pay today. I give lectures twice a week on average for different companies interested in looking at the transformation work and symbiosis.
Have you seen any changes in recent years in how people are vacationing due to the environment? For example, have they become more environmentally aware and changed their behavior based on this?
Above all, there is an increased demand for looking at sustainable transformation. Among other things, more people want to come on study visits and be inspired by how different companies do it, but people are also curious about how we at the Sotenäs Symbiosis Center have built up this way of working. People are more aware today of the plastic problem and so on, but I cannot answer whether this affects their behavior. You can also see that the number of motorboats is actually increasing and this also applies to other things that are not promoting the environment. In general, however, the demand is greater when it comes to looking at sustainability.
What sustainability and environmental challenges do you think the industry will face in the next 10 years?
We don't know much, but we see that many populations are threatened and that balances are starting to shift. The scary thing is that we don't know what will happen when certain animal species disappear. It's important not only to collaborate with industrial fishermen as they have an economic gain in it, but it's important to consider many different parties. I also see that it's important to already package and put together various study visits or similar so that the general public can gain increased understanding and interest in what's happening. The project "Sustainable knowledge tourism" is also strongly linked to other activity companies such as seaweed divers. Through this, tourists also come between September and May to look at environmental and sustainability issues. This type of tourism does not occur during the summer months and makes the interest exist to come to Sotenäs all year round.
What opportunities do you see for the future when it comes to using data on the marine environment to improve understanding of environmental and climate change?
I believe that data, together with the soft values, are crucial to being able to prove and see if there is any difference. The symbiosis can be divided into two different core values, industrial and social. The industrial one refers to flows that move and the social one is based on the fact that it is people who make things happen. Without the different competencies that are put together and the enthusiasts, these industrial values will never move. The connection is very important, and that's where data is essential since different people communicate in different ways. When I give lectures, I therefore talk about the importance of putting competencies together but also show data. Decision-makers want data, it's necessary to be able to show results and move forward.
Is there any specific type of data that you are missing or would be interested in?
Data is absolutely necessary, but it's difficult to answer what type in my role.
Legal - Kosterhavet National Park
Tell us briefly about your business and your role in the company!
I work at the Kosterhavet National Park Administration where, as the National Park Manager, I am responsible for managing the activities of the National Park. We have a total of 8 employees who work together to manage and conserve the park's natural resources, both above and below the surface. This involves intensive management efforts aimed at strengthening and increasing biological diversity. Our management work also includes a lot of monitoring, where we track the development of species and environments and take action where necessary. Restoration of habitats, beach cleaning, and the restoration of coral reefs are just a few of the tasks we are currently engaged in.
The Kosterhavet National Park, located in the municipalities of Strömstad and Tanum, was inaugurated in 2009 and was Sweden's first marine national park. With around 6000 documented marine species and an equal number on land, Kosterhavet is Sweden's most species-rich area. Approximately 500,000 people visit the park each year.
What regulations govern marine tourism? What laws, regulations, and requirements exist in Kosterhavet, and what exists outside of it?
Kosterhavet, like all other protected areas, has regulations that must be followed. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency decides on these regulations, but the national park administration prepares them. There are regulations that are directly linked to biology, such as seal protection areas and bird protection areas. There are also rules that govern interpersonal behavior. Visitors must also comply with various types of prohibitions, such as bans on jet skis in some parts of the area, bans on disposable grills, bans on loose dogs, and bans on introducing non-native species and populations. However, for a typical visitor, it is not particularly troublesome. There are no regulations that visitors need to think too much about or be nervous about when visiting the national park. Common sense goes a long way!
A central concept in Kosterhavet is adaptive management, which means that actions should not be taken if there is no knowledge base to stand on. Each action must also be followed up to avoid unnecessary decisions.
Do you think these regulations inhibit or benefit tourism? How do they affect the industry? What differences do you see between tourism in Kosterhavet and other marine tourism?
I do not believe that these regulations have reduced the number of visitors. The regulations were developed in collaboration with those who live and work in the area, making them well-established. However, there are always some people who are not as positive about certain regulations, but I assess that these regulations provide more benefits than drawbacks!
More generally, in the marine environment, there are access prohibition areas during certain periods, such as bird and seal protection periods. During these periods, people are not allowed to enter these areas to protect the birds and seals. There are also efforts to direct people with hiking trails or similar to encourage people to discover certain areas but mainly to steer people to not move around everywhere in nature.
Researcher - Erik Lundberg at Gothenburg University
Tell us more about yourself and your research.
My name is Erik Lundberg and I am a researcher and teacher at the School of Business, Economics and Law in Gothenburg, with a focus on marketing, which means that I study how we behave as consumers. Specifically, I have studied tourists' consumption habits, such as how they consume travel and events. I am also the director of a research center called the Center for Tourism, which has about 20 researchers from across the university. Most of my research is focused on sustainability, where tourism, for example, causes quite a bit of carbon emissions from travel. I have also conducted a lot of research on maritime tourism along the west coast.
What trends do you see in maritime tourism in recent years? How has the industry changed?
Something that has been noticeable in recent years is that the pandemic hit the tourism industry hard, leading to behavioral changes. The sales of boats, vacation homes, and RVs increased significantly, which are quite large capital investments. This type of tourism has thus increased, which has meant that more people who do not have experience being on the water are there. However, there was a declining interest in buying boats before the pandemic. It takes a lot of time and money to own your own boat. Still, many people want to be on the water, which has led to the development of concepts where instead of buying a boat, people can lease boats for a week or a few weeks. Digitization has also increased the opportunity to rent out one's boat when not in use.
Follow up: How has it been with tourist activities such as whale safaris, etc?
In the past, it was quite common to go on vacation to unwind and experience something new and exciting, and these have always been the strongest motives for vacationing. Lately, it has become more common for people to choose to vacation for personal development, and that they want to learn things, and therefore go on vacation. We have had a project on knowledge tourism where people go on holiday to learn about different things, such as algae or fish, which has also become a more popular type of vacation.
How do you see the future of the industry? Challenges/opportunities for the next 10 years?
Since many people have invested in a boat during the pandemic, they have in a way become "locked in," which provides good conditions for that type of tourism. The increased flexibility of renting a boat or even getting help to get out on the water easier can lead to increased tourism for those who usually do not dare to go out on the water or simply do not want to buy their own boat.
What environmental challenges do you see for the industry?
There are many challenges as the oceans are not doing well, from plastic pollution to crowding both on the sea with boats and on beaches. People are attracted to hotspots but when it reaches a certain limit, it is not even pleasant to be there. The issue of overcrowding is a challenge both from an environmental and social perspective. Electric boats are on the rise as a possible solution to some problems. We have had a researcher with us who has investigated how people choose to bottom paint their boats. There is environmentally friendly paint available, but people still choose to use the toxic one, which has proven to be just a habit, which becomes a problem and a challenge for the future.
Do you use collected data from the marine environment in your research? If so, what kind of data?
Personally, I do not use such data, but there are researchers at the Kristineberg Research Station, which is a part of the University of Gothenburg, who collect data from the sea.
We are building a sensor that measures turbidity and temperature. Does this kind of data seem interesting and useful to collect?
For me, this type of data is not particularly interesting. However, it would be interesting to evaluate why people choose to collect data and how to encourage people to do this type of thing if the sensor were to come on the market.
Marine biologist - Maria Bodin
Tell me more about yourself and what you do!
My name is Maria Bodin and I am a marine biologist and natural geographer. Currently, I am working on the future of seafood and blue community gardens in the ocean. I am based at the Tjärnö Marine Laboratory in Strömstad, which is a research- and fieldstation connected to the University of Gothenburg. Last year, I conducted a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of small-scale cultivating both plants and animals in the ocean. When this experiment was carried out, Gothenburg municipality contacted me and showed an interest in this, which later resulted in the establishment of a blue community garden in Frihamnen where the ability to cultivate in an urban environment is now being tested. Frihamnen has become a platform for discussing sustainability and the future of seafood. In connection to this, Gothenburg municipality has also established a lab for transition where various new prototypes and solutions for a sustainable future are gathered.
What opportunities do you see for the future in using data on the marine environment to improve understanding of environmental and climate change?
It is very important! It is important to have monitoring data! It is useful to correlate measurement data with the observations that are currently being made with the eye to support these and make them more reliable.
Do you use collected data from the marine environment in your research? If so, what do you use it for?
We have not started yet. I am going to start two different school programs for both middle and high school, where the idea is to look at and measure different types of data in the ocean. My hope is to get started with this as soon as possible and also connect several other types of projects to the platform.
Is there any particular type of data that you are missing or interested in? Would you have use for data from other geographic locations?
It would be very interesting to place a sensor in Frihamnen to measure both temperature, salinity and turbidity as a combination. They are all crucial for cultivation capacity and therefore very interesting data for me and my projects!
In general, I think that any type of monitoring data that can be reviewed retrospectively is very interesting. It would be interesting to have saved data that could be linked to events in nature in order to draw further conclusions. For example, it can be interesting to know the temperature and turbidity levels during a previous algae bloom.