It is the responsibility of each researcher to make sure
that all permits are obtained prior to fieldwork. If you are in doubt
whether you need a permit don’t hesitate to contact with the Environmental
Department of the Governor of Svalbard.
Start your planning process early, you should
anticipate 1 month for application processing by the Governor of
Svalbard.
-
Define what is to be included in the planning before
field season.
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What kind of permissions from the Governor might be
needed. Note that all general regulations with respect to eg.
camping on
Svalbard, also apply to research activities. Some regulations
differ between visitors an residents.
-
Register the science project and participants in
Svalbard Science Forums “Research in Svalbard”-database
before applying the Governors permission. This is a demand from 1th
January 2009.
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Organize the application so it is easy to understand
and has sufficient information.
The guide will be updated
consecutively, and the Governor is thankful for respons that might improve
the content.
Guide for scientists on Svalbard
Table of contents
Kings Bay AS has the 28th
January launched the new web-based registration form for Kings Bay AS and
the Kings Bay Marine Lab, and encourage all institutions in Ny-Ålesund to
use the form from now on. Information about the form is found on the Kings
Bay web-page. By registering in the RiS-database first and using the RiS-ID
in our form, all relevant information is transferred automatically. Some
additional information will be requested. After completing the form, a
summary will be sent to the Kings Bay reception and to the home institute
for control. All projects going to the Marine lab are requested to use the
form. A copy of these will be sent to the Marine lab manager too.
Confirmation of the registration will be done manually
by the Kings Bay reception and/or the Marine lab manager as before, but the
new system will secure that the information becomes more streamlined and
easier to handle.
Indicate the location of your field work in the RiS
database. If you will conduct field work in several locations make sure you
register all of them. There are different regulations
depending on whether fieldwork is located within Management area 10 or
not.
If you want to conduct fieldwork in a national park or nature reserve
you have to follow the rules valid in these areas. There are different
regulations for national parks and nature reserves, but also the rules in
new and old national parks differ. You can apply for exemption from certain
regulations from the Governor. Legislation in national parks and nature
reserves require that plants and fossils can not be removed. Science is
only allowed when not in conflict with the purpose of protection.
In some protected areas no entrance allowed at all, related
to:
-
Moffen nature reserve: No entrance between 15th May - 15th
September
-
Kong Karls Land: no entrance allowed at all.
-
Bird sanctuaries: As in other nature reserves; additionally: no
entrance allowed between 15th May - 15th August, including boat and
airborne traffic.
Due to safety aspects, the Governor of Svalbard needs to
know who is going to the field. Make sure you register all participants
during your project registration in the RiS database
4. Field period
Due to safety aspects, the Governor of Svalbard needs to know when you are
in the field. Make sure to register the period(s) of your field work during
your project registration in the RiS database. Do not repeat the project
period when asked for the field period!
Demands for camping and tenting are regulated in Camping
regulations, and in the Environmental Act. We call attention to the demand
of distance to cultural heritage and that permission for staying more than
week on same location needs the Governors permission.
Depending on transport means in the
field you may need several permits. Note that landing permits are required
also for helicopters landing on sea ice or vessels! It is important that
transportation needs are planned thorough, so your genuine requirements are
covered by the permission given. All passengers included the application
for helicopter landing shall appear in the application. If helicopter is
needed contact Airlift in Longyearbyen, they have permission from the
Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority to fly on Svalbard. Landing permission
from the Governor is required. Use of any other than Airlift demands
approval from Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority.
Landing permission from the Governor is required.
Visitors us of snow mobile outside Management Area 10
demands the Governors form, Notification of travel plans in Svalbard
for individual travellers. Within Management Area 10 no further action
needed.
If using boat you have to consider
restrictions for bird sanctuaries (including a 300 m protected zone). For
dispensation apply the Governor. Outside Management area 10 visitors are
required to use Notification of travel plans in Svalbard for individual
travellers Civil Aviation Authority (Luftfartstilsynet)
http://www.luftfartstilsynet.no/.
7.
Fauna
There are strict regulations regarding disturbance of fauna, as well as
handling and sampling. Note that it is forbidden to move dead animals found
in the field. The same applies to animal parts (bones, teeth, etc), with
the exception of naturally shed reindeer antlers. You should inform the
Governor in the case of exceptional finds. All kind of disturbance is
prohibited, and demand permission given from the Governor, Environmental
Act § 30. Avoid all unnecessary disturbance.
Handling and marking of animals require approval from
the Norwegian Animal Research Authority. If possible clear this approval
prior to application to the Governor, Environmental Act § 30. Note that
application processing at the Norwegian Animal Research Authority might be
long!
For import of fauna permission from the
Directorate for Nature Management is required, § 26 in Environmental Act.
For export of animal permission from the Norwegian Food
Safety Authority is required.
In general you are not allowed to damage or remove
plants throughout Svalbard. However, collection of flora for research or
teaching purposes is permitted where this does not significantly affect the
local population of flora. There are also certain restrictions in relation
to vegetation when camping, see the Governors Camping regulations. All
collection of flora that might do substantial interference with the local
population requires the Governors permission, Environmental Act §
29. For collection and fungi and seaweed no
further action is needed.
Importing plants to Svalbard demands approval from the
Directorate for Nature Management, and so does also transferring flora
within Svalbard, Environmental Act § 26.
Concerning export of plant material from Svalbard to
Norway. For native plants from Svalbard no permit is needed.
For all other plants contact the Governor. For further transport to other
countries contact the respective custom authorities.
In principle, you do not need any
permission to collect loose stones and fossils. However, you need check the
regulations for protected areas. For all other activities you need a permit
from the Governor.
For geological work that involves changes in the
terrain (eg. using a hammer to remove stones) the need of
permission from the Governor is required (§ 57 Environmental
Act).
10. Cultural
heritage
There are very strict regulations concerning cultural heritage artefacts in
Svalbard (Environmental Act §§ 39 and 42 and others). Everything older than
1946 is automatically protected. This includes traces of human activity, as
buildings, constructions and human made items. Traces of human
graves of all kinds are protected independent of age.
So
are also traces of whale and walrus hunts and skeleton remains of polar
bear at self-firing traps. When camping or making a fire you have to keep a
100 meter distance too all cultural heritage artefacts and you are not
allowed to move items that are protected, even if you find them at the
beach or other vulnerable areas.
Some examples of
other sampling activities are listed below. If you are in doubt as to
whether you need a permit do not hesitate to contact the
Governor. For taking of;
-
ice cores from glaciers or soil samples the need of
permission from the Governor is required, § 57 Environmental Act.
-
water samples (salt- and freshwater) or snow samples
no further action is needed
12. Installations
If you plan to set out installations you need to contact several
authorities, depending on the location. The Environmental Act relates to
all Svalbard. Note that you need a permit to put up any installation
irrespective of size, § 57 Environmental Act. Indicate the planned
installation's geographical position in the application to the
Governor.
There are also current areal plans for the four largest
settlements på Svalbard: Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund, Svea mines and
Barentsburg. Installations within these plan areas have to correspond with
approved plan, and possibly need permission from plan authority. Check if
action corresponds with plan and send message or application to the plan
authority. In doubt make contact to Local authority of Longyearbyen in
Longyearbyen, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kullkompani in Svea or Kings Bay AS
in Ny-Ålesund, and the Governor for action in Barenstburg. Except for the
Local authority of Longyearbyen, the Governor is plan authority in the
other plan areas. The plan authorities can also help I practical
questions.
13. Fuel depots
If you plan to establish a fuel depot anywhere in Svalbard, you need a
permit from the Governor - applications can be done online. Note that you
also need a permit even to set out jerry canes. Application for fueldepot
(Online form):
“Dangerous Goods are articles or substances which are
capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment and
which are shown in the list of dangerous goods in these Regulations or
which are classified according to these Regulations (IATA,
2008).”
Dangerous goods can be transported safely by air transport provided certain
principles are strictly followed. They must be labeled with a United
Nations (UN) number to identify their hazard classification and composition
and need a declaration.
15.
Safety
There are no specific regulations regarding safety, including polar bear
protection and communication. However, you are required to protect the camp
site against polar bears. However, it is strongly recommended that
you make yourself familiar with potential dangers in Svalbard and safety
measures that can be taken. Make sure you are acquainted with the use of
firearms and pyrotechnics. We recommend to attend a safety course. Safe
handling of firearms is your personal responsibility at all times! You
should also know how to prevent and what to do in case of accidents.
Read more in our safety section and in the brochure
"Safety in Svalbard".
§ 5 in the Environmental Act
claims: Any person who is staying in or operates an
undertaking in Svalbard shall show due consideration and exercise the
caution required to avoid unnecessary damage or disturbance to the natural
environment or cultural heritage. A head of
undertaking shall ensure that every person who carries out work or takes
part in the activities for which an undertaking is responsible is aware of
the provisions set out in or pursuant to this Act regarding the protection
of Svalbard’s flora, fauna, cultural heritage and the natural environment
otherwise.
Persons that need to have a Visa to
arrive Schengen have to apply such in good time before planned travel.
Arriving Svalbard you leave the Schengen territory, and it is therefore
crucial to apply permission to arrive twice into Schengen – once on your
way up to Svalbard and once on your way home. More information is found on
the web sites of Norwegian Directorate of
Immigation, or by addressing their information office
ots@udi.no
.
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Make sure to book accommodation, equipment,
helicopters etc. in due time!
-
Allow sufficient time for shipping equipment. Peak
seasons (aircraft) or poor ice condition (ship) might be time
consuming.
-
Contact shops or dealers in advance if you plan to buy
items in Svalbard
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Check the Observation and Sample Exchange Forum - you
may be able to help a fellow researcher
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If you need professional help to organise your
fieldwork, you can buy logistical support from NPI or UNIS. Remember to
contact them in good time! Local travel operators might also be of
help.
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Learn more about the environmental legislation with
the brochures "When visiting Svalbard" and "Experience Svalbard"
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Allow sufficient time to clean up the research area,
camp site and material
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Allow sufficient time to return hired equipment
properly
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Make sure you report the required post fieldwork
information to the Governor of Svalbard
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Deliver all garbage separated at the Garbage plant in
Longyearbyen. Remender that all dangerous waste is to be delivered
separately and distinctive marked.
Good luck!