Value creation as objective in municipal coastal zone planning? A case from Arctic Norway

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Value creation and economic performance from use of marine resources seem to be given increasing weight as an objective for coastal zone planning and management. This paper assesses how and to which degree Norwegian municipalities are concerned with and have considered arguments on value creation in their coastal zone planning. We focus geographically on the coastal zone planning in the north Norwegian municipality Alta, in Finnmark County. We consider the possibilities municipalities have for considering value creation in their coastal zone management, given their room for “manoeuvrability” within national legislation and regulations. The data available for considering value creation from marine activities in a planning context, and how “value creation” actually have been understood and emphasized, is also included. Aquaculture has likely been the major industry for growth of coastal value creation in Norway during the latter 20-30 years. Due to this, we give aquaculture in coastal zone planning special attention. As benefits from the industry in many cases now are going elsewhere than to the municipalities where farms are located, the will to prioritise the industry is falling in some municipalities. The government has decided on some measures to improve this, but these are rather weak. The government’s focus on national value creation does not readily translate into municipal priorities in coastal zone planning.