NOA-protect is a two-year Nordic collaborative project involving Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The project aims to strengthen the knowledge base for marine spatial planning and ocean management across Nordic marine areas.

The project focuses in particular on how climate change and human activities affect seabed biodiversity and vulnerable habitats, and on how economic activities and natural values can coexist. Fisheries, shipping, petroleum activities, and emerging industries such as offshore wind and aquaculture affect marine areas in different ways. At the same time, climate change may alter marine ecosystems and the conditions governing how the ocean is used.

NOA-protect will bring together and further develop data and knowledge from the four countries and territories to provide a stronger foundation for future ocean management. The project will also assess how effectively existing and potential marine protected areas safeguard biodiversity and develop common Nordic principles for more integrated, ecosystem-based and climate-adapted marine spatial planning and nature conservation.

The results will be made available to public authorities, industries and other relevant stakeholders, contributing to more coordinated, knowledge-based and sustainable management of Nordic marine areas.