2020

As clean energy expands, demand for metals and rare earth elements is growing along with it. Developing the wind turbines, solar panels and batteries that will power our low-carbon future requires cobalt, nickel, zinc, copper, silver, gold, lithium and more.

It is found all over the world, and it is abundant along the Norwegian coast, but you’ve probably never heard of it. Now researchers are studying how aquaculture affects maerl beds in northern Norway.

Six vessels will cover ten times Norway's area in search of the mackerel. This year you can follow them live on the map.

Lobsters in protected areas have bigger claws than lobsters in areas where they are fished, according to a new study. 

Hardangerfjorden has developed a clear green tint, prominent enought to be observed from space. The reason is microscopic.

Last spring Atlantic salmon were tagged with satellite tags in Southern Norway. Now they have phoned home. 

The water entering the Barents Sea is not as cooled down as it used to. This has a large effect of the climate in the area and may lead to fish and other marine life migrating. 

New analysis of old samples shows that eels in Norway get twice as old as previously thought. 

If our man Ronald gets 10 out of 10, his new “trainee” gets 9. 

What do whales do when nobody is looking? Researchers are trying to find out using audio recordings.

Recently hatched herring do not navigate by compass, but by following the sun.

In the 2000s, the Norwegian and Russian authorities reduced the fishing pressure on cod and haddock in the Barents Sea. Combined with three good year-classes, that led to record populations.

In a major new initiative, scientists at IMR will study how to get more food from the ocean into our ovens – without putting our health and the environment at risk.

Able-bodied seaman Andreas Wolden takes 2,000-3,000 photos on each trip to the polar regions. As a keen photographer, he never tires of meeting polar bears.

Researchers have combed data from almost 500 fish farms all over Norway. They found only a weak and variable effect of using cleaner fish in the battle against salmon lice.

Below the sea’s surface, the cod spawning season is now well underway. We have trapped cod in a pen rigged with cameras and hydrophones - you can follow the spawning live.

Malnutrition is a bigger problem than hunger in the world today. Researchers hope that a small freshwater fish may prove to be packed with important micronutrients. 

Calanus can be killed by small concentrations of the delousing agent hydrogen peroxide.

Large doses of teflubenzuron kill – small doses cause stiff joints. The question is how small.

Millions of cleaner fish are used in farm cages to eat lice off salmon every year. However, there is limited research into how efficiently they do this job. Now scientists have gone through all published studies in the field – and found large knowledge gaps.

And that is just one of the challenges that seals face in a changing world. 

The Institute of Marine Research’s monitoring of the sea shows that temperatures have fallen in recent years.

Right now, millions of northeast arctic cod (skrei) are migrating from the Barents sea to the Norwegian coast to spawn. They are the lucky few survivors.

The polar cod, a key species in the Barents Sea ecosystem, is struggling with recruitment due to warmer waters and declining sea ice cover. 

Where do young marine researchers go to learn about the latest and greatest sonar technology? To a narrow fjord in western Norway, onboard RV “G.O. Sars”.