Bjørnar Skjæran

Norwegian politician (born 1966)
Bjørnar Skjæran
Skjæran in 2014
Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy
In office
14 October 2021 – 16 October 2023
Prime MinisterJonas Gahr Støre
Preceded byOdd Emil Ingebrigtsen
Succeeded byCecilie Myrseth
Member of the Storting
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 October 2021
DeputyKarianne Bråthen
ConstituencyNordland
Second Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office
6 April 2019 – 5 May 2023
LeaderJonas Gahr Støre
Preceded byTrond Giske
Succeeded byJan Christian Vestre
Mayor of Lurøy
In office
27 October 2011 – 16 October 2015
DeputyAino Olaisen
Preceded byCarl Einar Isachsen jr.
Succeeded byCarl Einar Isachsen jr.
Personal details
Born (1966-05-28) 28 May 1966 (age 57)
Political partyLabour
SpouseLine Skjæran
Children3

Bjørnar Selnes Skjæran (born 28 May 1966) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. He served as minister of fisheries from 2021 to 2023, and previously served as the party's deputy leader from 2019 to 2023 and mayor of Lurøy from 2011 to 2015.

Personal life

Skjæran is married to Line Skjæran, with whom he has three daughters.[1]

Career

Local politics

He has a professional background as a farmer and self-employed, but has since 2011 been a full-time politician. Skjæran was elected leader of the Nordland Labour Party in 2011.[2] After the local elections the same year, he succeeded Carl Einar Isachsen jr. as mayor of Lurøy.[3] In 2013, Skjæran was elected a member of the central board of the Labour Party.

He was a member of Lurøy municipal council for 28 years, from 1987 to 2015, the last four years as mayor. He didn't seek re-election in 2015. He was succeeded by Carl Einar Isachsen jr, his predecessor, as mayor.[4] The same year he was elected to the Nordland County Council and was group leader for the Labour Party there. Following the 2019 local elections, he was again elected to the county council, and is deputy leader of the county council group.

Deputy leader

On 19 March 2019, it was announced that Skjæran had been nominated to serve as the party's second deputy leader, alongside Hadia Tajik, who had been renominated. Skjæran was formally elected at the party congress on 6 April 2019.[5][6]

In March 2021, following a dinner with the Nordland Labour Party in Bodø, Skjæran and seven others gathered in a hotel room for an after-party, breaking local COVID-19 restrictions. After revelations of the incident came to light on 15 March 2021, Skjæran issued an apology. Mayor of Bodø Ida Pinnerød commented "it's about high time that they issued an apology today", while Labour leader Jonas Gahr Støre stated that "it was a clear breach of local restrictions. Politicians have to go in front and abide and respect the rules".[7] The Nordland Police established a case, with lead prosecutor Stig Morten Løkkebakken stating that the participants were being investigated for breech of local restrictions. Skjæran was questioned by police regarding the incident on 24 March.[8] However, the case was dropped four days later, to much criticism by law experts, who argued the case was dropped based on the wrong premisses. Skjæran himself didn't want to question the findings.[9] In April, the case was tried again, but was again dropped, with the Nordland District Attorney concluding that the gathering was not in violation of national or local restrictions.[10]

Following the 2021 election, Skjæran was mentioned by commentators as a likely candidate for a cabinet post. Some of the suggested posts included minister of trade and industry, minister of transport, minister of local government or minister of petroleum and energy.[11]

Skjæran was also elected to the Storting in the 2021 election, representing his home county of Nordland.[12]

Skjæran had originally stated that he would seek re-election as deputy leader ahead of the 2023 party convention, but on 21 April, the election committee announced that they had designated Jan Christian Vestre as Skjæran's successor. The same day, he announced that he would withdraw his candidacy for re-election.[13][14]

Parliament

Skjæran was elected to the Storting, the Norwegian parliament, at the 2021 election for Nordland. While he served in government between 2021 and 2023, Karianne Bråthen deputised for him.

After leaving government, Skjæran joined the Standing Committee on Finance. In April 2024, he became the party's spokesperson on labour and social policy.[15][16]

Minister of Fisheries

Skjæran was appointed minister of fisheries on 14 October 2021 in Jonas Gahr Støre's Cabinet.[17]

2021

Upon assuming office, Skjæran stressed that the issue of discrimination and harassment against female fishers was unacceptable, but added that not the entire industry was responsible, but everyone had to take part.[18]

On 12 November, Skjæran announced that former transport minister Knut Arild Hareide had been nominated to become the next director of the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Of the nomination, he stated: "The Norwegian Maritime Authority shall contribute to securing Norway's position as a leading maritime nation. With Knut Arild Hareide, the Norwegian Maritime Authority will have a very well-qualified leader with broad experience from politics and business".[19]

On 15 November, Skjæran announced that work on a law draft for Norwegian labour and salary terms to apply for Norwegian waters and soil has commenced. He did also confirm that the law would apply to (for example) cruises ships who sail from abroad and to multiple Norwegian stops. He also stated that the law would not apply to ships that dock at a Norwegian port and departs again.[20]

On 10 December, Skjæran announced that eleven ocean related projects would get 68 million NOK in development support. He commented: "The business community plays a key role in further developing Norway's leading position in seafood and shipping. It is exciting to follow and support the great will to the change we are witnessing in the industry these days. This is how we create new and secure existing jobs for the future". He also said that the projects that receive funding represent great opportunities for green transformation, digitalisation and streamlining of the maritime industries and sustainable production of seafood.[21]

2022

On 18 January 2022, Skjæran announced that the new enforcement of harvesting regulations would be postponed until 1 March. He stated: "I have a great understanding that there is a need to get acquainted with the new regulations. I therefore postpone the enforcement of rules that entail new requirements or changes in the new harvesting regulations. This regulation will not be enforced until 1 March. We are all interested in the changes that are introduced taking place in dialogue, and in a good way". The regulations are in many ways the same as the previous one, albeit with a few changes.[22]

Norwegian purse seine boats fish for capelin off Iceland with nets, while Iceland itself and other nations they share the capelin quota with, fish for capelin with trawls. Norwegian fishermen also reported that they experience that they are limited in the areas they are allowed to fish in and the number of boats that can fish at the same time. Skjæran vowed to discuss the matter with his Icelandic counterpart, Svandís Svavarsdóttir.[23]

On 4 March, he took over as acting minister of labour and social inclusion after Hadia Tajik resigned following controversy regarding fringe benefit and use of a government apartment.[24] He held the post for three days until Marte Mjøs Persen was appointed to the post permanently.[25]

Skjæran announced in March that it would be irrelevant to block out Russian ships and fishers to fish in Norwegian waters or lay to port. He stated: "This is one of the areas that will continue to be maintained, together with the fisheries research collaboration. Mutual zone access for Norwegian and Russian vessels in each other's economic zones follows from our obligations under the framework agreement on fisheries cooperation and the annual fisheries agreement with Russia". He went on to add: "There is also no authority in the fisheries regulations to prohibit landings from Russian fishing vessels on the basis of foreign policy considerations".[26]

Skjæran faced demands from opposition party the Liberal Party, who demanded answers to why a Russian fishery millionaire was shrouded in secrecy. This was also a part of why the government was aware of the amount of quotas coming from Russian vessels in the Barents sea. The Liberals called it unusual for it to be kept secret despite the government advising it would damage foreign policy interests. Skjæran stated: "One is that we risk not having access to information, which is important in order to be able to exercise thorough and good fisheries control. The other thing that hangs over all this is that we do not want to do anything that puts the Norwegian-Russian fisheries cooperation at stake. I have no need to characterize whether the collaboration is fragile or not. For us, it is important to fence it".[27]

Norway and the European Union reached an understanding on 28 April about fishing in the fisheries protection zone near Svalbard and northern waters. Skjæran commented the understanding, saying: "I am glad that we now have an understanding in place. We had good talks and I want to praise the EU. This shows that they are a close and good partner, who are serious when it comes to sustainable marine management".[28]

Originally, the government had proposed to postpone the construction of the new Ocean Space Centre in Trondheim on 12 May, however on 6 June, it was announced that this decision had been reversed. Skjæran expressed optimism about the pending negotiations about the project. He also requested that 230 million NOK be spared for the project to begin construction in 2022, while also expressing that control of the cost was important for the government.[29]

On 7 July, he announced that the government would be making a quota notification, which would be finished in 2023. According to Skjæran, the notification would emphasise focus on "predictability for the fishing industry and ensure settlement, activity and profitability along the coast". He said: "We want a much stronger anchoring in the industry for the path choices we make. The government is asking for predictability, and that is what we want to deliver. That is why we have also facilitated such a broad and democratic process as we do now".[30]

On 8 August, the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries announced that they would be sending out a proposed amendment to the rules and regulations, to define seaweed as seafood. Of the decision, Skjæran said: "Norway will lead the way in the development of the world's most sustainable and productive seafood industry, and here seaweed and kelp have a natural place. The government is clear in the Hurdal platform that we want to facilitate increased research into and more activity in industries linked to seaweed and new marine resources. We are now following up on that. The seafood industry is of great importance to Norway. At the same time, it is important to facilitate further value creation based on the sea. Seaweed and kelp are therefore an exciting industry with great potential".[31]

On 19 August, Dagbladet revealed that death threats related to the killing of Freya the Walrus had been levelled against Skjæran and other high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries.[32]

On 28 September, following the government's announcement of taking 33 billion NOK from the power producers and the aquaculture industries; Skjæran defended the tax promise. He also assured that the basic income tax would not drain local societies.[33]

At a press conference on 6 October, together with foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt and justice minister Emilie Enger Mehl, Skjæran stated that Norwegian fishery resources would be managed sustainably. He also stated that that way the authorities would balance the need for control and cooperation within fisheries.[34]

On 25 October, Norway and Russia signed a fishing agreement for 2023, which would set guides for quotas of north-east Arctic cod, haddock, capelin, halibut and pollock.[35] However, the same day, Russia threatened to withdraw from the agreement if sanctions on Norwegian ports for Russian vessels continued. Skjæran asserted sanctions weren't discussed for the agreement and that the Norwegian government didn't see any grounds for the Russians to suspend the agreement.[36]

In December, Dagbladet revealed that both Skjæran and health minister Ingvild Kjerkol both had TikTok installed on their work phones despite cyber security experts warning against government officials utilising the app. Skjæran's ministry clarified that he had downloaded the app in relation to a link shared by a family member, but that he later deleted the app from his work phone.[37]

2023

In January 2023, he expressed hope for a "zero vision" for drowning at sea related to jobs that involve the seas and oceans. Recently the government had accepted the Norwegian Maritime Authority's foundation plans for a zero vision and the authority will continue to work on a specific action plan. The move was praised by the opposition and the drowning prevention group Flyte.[38]

Following avalanches in Troms in late March, Skjæran, along with his colleagues Emilie Enger Mehl and Sandra Borch, visited the county and inspected the damage. They also met with local officials and rescue services.[39]

As a step of following up on the Storting's recommendation of an action plan for equality in the maritime sector, Skjæran announced steps to put such a plan into play in June. He also stated that he would take initiative for a cooperation deceleration with the employer and employee organisations, which will also be aimed at an international audience.[40]

In September, Skjæran denounced claims from the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius about over-fishing mackerel by gaining over 31,99% of the designated mackerel quota. Skjæran countered that the Norwegian quota was grounded in the Norwegian economic zone and claimed that the quota the EU was demanding was too high and called for more realistic demands when the parts would be negotiating next.[41]

On 16 October, Skjæran was succeeded by Cecilie Myrseth in a cabinet reshuffle.[42]

References

  1. ^ "Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap): – Jeg var jo ekstremt nære døden" (in Norwegian). Intrafish. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Ny leder i Nordland Ap" (in Norwegian). Rana Blad. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Kan smykke seg som ny ordfører" (in Norwegian). Rana Blad. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  4. ^ "-Best mulig samferdselsløsninger blir min viktigste oppgave som Lurøy sin neste ordfører" (in Norwegian). Rana Blad. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Skjæran blir ny Ap-nestleder. En sterk og klar stemme fra nord" (in Norwegian). NRK Nordland. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Bjørnar Skjæran valgt til ny nestleder i Arbeiderpartiet" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Ap-topper brøt koronaregler i Bodø – samlet seg på hotellrom" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Ap-nestleder Bjørnar Skjæran avhørt etter nachspiel" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Skjæran klager ikke på henleggelsen: Hevder han er inhabil" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Henlegger igjen sak mot Ap-topper på Bodø-nachspiel" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Disse politikerne fra Nordland kan bli statsråder" (in Norwegian). NRK Nordland. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Disse ni skal kjempe Nordlands sak på Stortinget de neste fire årene" (in Norwegian). NRK Nordland. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Bjørnar Skjæran tar trekker seg som nestleder i Ap" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Disse innstilles til Ap-ledelsen: Vil ha Brenna og Vestre som nestledere" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Skjæran, Bjørnar" (in Norwegian). stortinget.no. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Vraket igjen" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Norge har fått ny regjering" (in Norwegian). NRK. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Fiskeriminister Skjæran: – Kvinnelige fiskere skal ikke måtte godta trakassering på jobb" (in Norwegian). Sunnmørsposten. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Knut Arild Hareide blir ny sjøfartsdirektør" (in Norwegian). E24. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Skjæran: Nå blir det norsk lønn i norske farvann" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  21. ^ "Elleve havprosjekter får 68 utviklingsmillioner" (in Norwegian). Finansavisen. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Utsetter håndhevingen av den nye høstingsforskriften" (in Norwegian). government.no. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Norske fiskere opplever at de blir diskriminert av islandske myndigheter" (in Norwegian). government.no. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  24. ^ "Bjørnar Skjæran blir midlertidig arbeidsminister" (in Norwegian). TV2. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  25. ^ "Marte Mjøs Persen er Norges nye arbeidsminister" (in Norwegian). NRK. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Fiskeriministeren: Uaktuelt å stenge russiske skip ute" (in Norwegian). ABC Nyheter. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Etterlyser svar om hemmelighold for russisk fiskerimilliardær" (in Norwegian). NRK. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  28. ^ "Forståelse mellom Norge og EU om fiske i fiskevernsonen ved Svalbard og i de nordlige farvann" (in Norwegian). government.no. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  29. ^ "Ville utsette milliardprosjekt – no snur regjeringa" (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  30. ^ "Regjeringa vil ha flere helårige arbeidsplasser i fiskerinæringa" (in Norwegian). NRK Troms og Finnmark. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  31. ^ "Høring av endringer i regelverket slik at tang og tare kan defineres som sjømat" (in Norwegian). government.no. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  32. ^ "Opplysninger til Dagbladet: Skjæran drapstruet" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  33. ^ "Skjæran med skattelovnad: – Vertskommunene skal komme bedre ut" (in Norwegian). NRK Nordland. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  34. ^ "Regjeringen skjerper kontrollen med russiske fiskefartøy" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  35. ^ "Enighet om norsk-russisk fiskeriavtale for 2023" (in Norwegian). Teknisk ukeblad. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  36. ^ "Russisk trussel mot Norge om det kommer flere sanksjoner" (in Norwegian). NRK Troms og Finnmark. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  37. ^ "Statsråder hadde kinesisk app: - Mysterium" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  38. ^ "Vil ha nullvisjon for drukning: Var selv nær ved å dø på havet" (in Norwegian). NRK. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  39. ^ "Statsråder ved skredområdet i Troms: – Katastrofalt" (in Norwegian). NRK Troms og Finnmark. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  40. ^ "Regjeringen vil ha økt likestilling i maritim sektor" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  41. ^ "EU og Norge i heftig krangel om makrell – EU truer med represalier" (in Norwegian). Adresseavisen. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  42. ^ "Her er Støre sine nye statsrådar" (in Norwegian Nynorsk). NRK. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy
2021–2023 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion
Acting
2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Carl Einar Isachsen jr.
 Mayor of Lurøy
2011–2015 		Succeeded by
Carl Einar Isachsen jr.
Party political offices
Preceded by Second Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
2019–2023 		Succeeded by
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