Several changes to the environmental regulations in Svalbard will come into force on January 1, 2025. Some of the adopted changes apply to everyone – regardless of whether you are a permanent resident, an individual traveler, a researcher, or are engaged in tourism or field activities. Other regulatory changes are specifically aimed at different groups.
The adopted changes cover not only the Svalbard Environmental Act, but also several of the regulations that have been adopted pursuant to the act, including protection regulations for nature reserves and national parks, the motor traffic regulations and the camp regulations. In addition, a new regulation has been established on the assessment of violation fines under the Svalbard Environmental Act.
Some of the adopted changes apply to everyone – regardless of whether you are a permanent resident, an individual traveler, a researcher, or are engaged in tourism or field activities. Other rule changes are specifically aimed at different groups. It is important to familiarize yourself with the rule changes that apply to the activity you intend to carry out, and to the areas you will be traveling in. Below you will find an overview of some of the changes.
All camping and camping in tourism activities, field activities, and under the auspices of research and education activities now require permission from the Governor. For permanent residents and individual travelers, a similar requirement applies when camping and camping in the same place for a week or more.
Applications must be submitted to the Governor no later than four weeks before the planned camping trip. Researchers can apply via the application form in the RIS portal. The researcher supervisor has been updated and can be found here: Veileder for forskere på Svalbard
Tenting and camping that require an application to the Governor must be secured with an alert and organized polar bear guard when there are people in the camp.
Both the Svalbard Environmental Act and the conservation regulations have new rules on the use of drones. From 1 April to 31 August, it is not permitted to fly drones closer than 500 metres from bird cliffs, and in protected areas there is a general ban on the use of drones.
The motor traffic regulations have included provisions on speed limits and distance requirements for walrus roosts and bird cliffs. When driving at sea, motorists must keep at least 150 metres from walrus roosts. If you drive closer than 300 metres from the roost, you cannot drive faster than 5 knots.
A corresponding speed limit of 5 knots applies to bird cliffs from 1 April to 31 August if you are closer than 500 metres from land. The bird cliffs in question are shown on a map attached to the motor traffic regulations.
A general ban on breaking ice has also been introduced. In the national parks, a maximum number of 200 passengers has been introduced in boats that call at sea areas.
Snowmobile traffic
A ban on motorized traffic on sea ice has been introduced after March 1 on selected fjords. The regulations are somewhat different for permanent residents and visitors, and the rules are illustrated through maps that can be found as an appendix to the motorized traffic regulations: Forskrift om endring i forskrift om motorferdsel på Svalbard
The provision in the Svalbard Environmental Act sets out a general ban on unnecessarily disturbing, luring or pursuing polar bears. In addition, distance requirements have been introduced, and one must keep at least 300 meters away from bears. In the period from March 1 to June 30, one must keep at least 500 meters away. If you spot a bear at close range, you are obliged to retreat. The obligation to retreat does not apply in inhabited areas, when staying at research stations, cabins, tents or similar facilities.
The requirement for knowledge, security and suitable deterrents is continued in the new provision.
A landing regulation has been introduced for tourist activities in all protected areas with the exception of Nordre Isfjorden and Sassen-Bünsow Land national parks, and protected areas where there is already a traffic ban, such as nature reserves for birds.
The regulation means that landing for tourist activities can only take place at specific, mapped locations. In addition, landing and staying on land can only take place together with a guide with knowledge of the natural and cultural environment. The regulation also regulates how many people can be on land at the same time. See map to the right for locations.
The landing regulation does not apply to permanent residents, individual travelers and researchers unless they participate in tourist activities.
Source: Sysselmesteren på Svalbard (in Norwegian)
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