Lines of enquiry Goals and lines of enquiry .1 The purpose of the audit

38 Document 3:13 2012–2013 Report scheme established with the instrument of selected habitats, the Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment stated that “If the intentions of the legislation are to be achieved, a fi nancing scheme must be created with sui cient resources for steward- ship and management of selected habitats. The Committee believes that it is important to maintain an overview of what happens in selected habitats, and that there must be full transparency as regards measures that become permitted in such areas.” It emerges from Odelsting Proposition No. 52 2008–2009 Concerning the Act relating to the management of biological, geological and landscape diversity the Nature Diversity Act that grant funding must be seen in the context of the af ected sectors’ own fi nancial instruments. Also as regards priority species, the Committee was very positive to a grant scheme for active measures associated with the prioritised species, and stated that this would ensure that the intention of the legislation was implemented in this fi eld, cf. Recommendation O No. 100 2008–2009. The grants for measures in connection with selected habitats and measures in connec- tion with priority species are awarded over two sub-Items under Chapter 1427.82, cf. Proposition 1 S 2011–2012. For priority species, the purpose of the grant scheme is to safeguard plant and animal species designated as priority species. It is also a goal to safeguard the habitats of the prioritised species. The award criteria is that the funding will be used for measures that safeguard priority species, and for active stewardship or other types of measures which contribute to safeguarding or restoring ecological function areas for priority species. Goal achievement is assessed on the basis of the number of measures. As regards selected habitats, the purpose of the grant scheme is to safeguard selected habitats. The award criteria is that the funding must go to active stewardship or other types of measures that contribute to safeguarding examples of selected habitats, and goal achievement will be assessed on the basis of the number of measures.

3.1.2 Game and freshwater fish Overall goals

During the deliberations on the Nature Diversity Act, cf. Recommendation O No. 100 2008–2009 and Resolution O No. 105 2008–2009, the Storting endorsed the view that it is practical to gather the rules relating to the legal basis and terms for harvesting species on land including in lakes and river systems in the Nature Diversity Act, while gathering the rules relating to harvesting and other use of marine organisms in the Marine Resources Act. The Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment furthermore agreed that when deciding to permit harvesting of game and fi sh, emphasis must be placed on the species’ function in the ecosystem and the ef ects harvesting could have on other biological diversity, the importance for industry and recreation, harvesting traditions and the damage caused by the species. For the three performance areas vibrant rivers and lakes, diverse forests and magnifi cent mountain landscapes, it is a goal that all animal and plant populations that can be harvested shall be harvested in an ecosystem-based and sustainable manner to ensure that the species exist in viable populations within their natural range by 2020, cf. Proposition 1 S 2011–2012. The grants for game and fi shing-related measures under Chapter 1425 shall support these goals and goals in the area of active outdoor recreation. Game The purpose of the Wildlife Act, cf. Section 1, is that game and game habitats shall be managed in accordance with the Nature Diversity Act and to ensure that the produc- tivity of nature and the diversity of species is preserved. Within this framework, game