Entry 17.1: Kanin Fjord Rising Chapter 1

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Entry posted by whiteshark365 · January 30, 2023

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June 21, 2008
Population: 5,514

Chapter 1: The Old Village Gets a Face Lift

The world is in amidst of the great recession. In the west, the domino effect from bursting of the United States’ housing bubble, and in the East the second collapse of the Pacific fishing industry has sent the world into the greatest recession since the depression. Very few countries manage to escape the worst of the recession’s effects. Even in Norway, where the fishing industry was causing explosive economic growth, the recession still managed to grind the country’s economy to a halt.

Kodiak Disease jumps the species barrier and infects crustaceans

By 2007, fishing industries in Asia and the west coast of the America’s were starting to recover from the Kodiak Disease’s effect, as industries focused on crustaceans and fish. With the exception of squid and octopus, fishing for mollusks was all but abandoned. On May 2, 2007, the first documented case of Kodiak poisoning from eating shrimp occurred in the country of Japan. Discovery of the bacterium infecting crustaceans sent Pacific fishing industries back over the precipice, this time dragging many Asian economies along with it. On the west coast of the Americas, places such as Alaska and Chile were also particularly hard hit.

In Norway, immigration into the country slowed to a crawl, and the rapid population growth of the country’s western coast began leveling off. In two years, Kanin Fjord’s population only increased by 391 residents, compared to an annual growth rate of nearly a thousand in 2006.

Despite the slow down in Norway’s economy, the country never officially experienced a recession; rather it entered a prolonged period of economic stagnation, where the county’s GPD was only increasing by a few fractions of a percent per quarter. Ironically, the county’s fishing industry was helping to offset the more deleterious effects of the recession.

Slow growth provides breathing room

With fewer people moving into the region, Kanin Fjord was able to begin several large infrastructure projects designed to improve the region’s connectivity and economic competitiveness. In conjunction from the Norwegian Government, local leaders approved 5 major redevelopment projects:

1.   Construction of a new city hall
2.   Construction of an automotive bridge across Hjortfjorden
3.   Redevelopment of the old downtown and numerous local road upgrades
4.   Reconstruction of the South Port
5.   Development of Tore punkt

By 2008, the first of 5 major projects were complete. The new Kaninfjorden Municipal Center was completed on the northern bank of the South Port in April of 2008. This new facility not only housed Kanin Fjord’s city hall but was also the government center for all of Tufjord Island and surrounding municipalities, including New Kanin Fjord.

Construction of the municipal center included high-density redevelopment along Lakseveien. Four large apartment buildings were constructed to provide housing for new workers and residents displaced by construction. As part of the future plan to construct an automotive bridge across Hjortfjorden, a new tunnel under the old village was completed.

Sea Monster Sightings Prompt Alarm from Officials

Sea monster sightings have expanded beyond Ekorn Fjord and are now occurring all over Hjortfjorden at a rate of several per month. In most instances, the sightings always come from an observer on land and are remarkably consistent. A greyish-brown hump roughly 6 to 8 meters in length breaching the surface of the water for several minutes and then disappearing beneath the waves. Despite the increase, officials continued to dismiss sightings as cases of mistaken identity.

In May of 2008, a sighting from a ship in the harbor of the South Port sent city officials scrambling. The port master and town council came to the conclusion that the sightings were likely a small whale that has swam into the port. A whale in the port presents a significant danger to the town’s fishing fleet due to the risk of collision. Smaller boats could be significantly damaged, and the whale could also die from a direct impact.

Responding to the potential threat to shipping, Kanin Fjord contacted the Norwegian Environment Agency for aid. The agency sent a single ship with advanced sonar to scan the fjord in an attempt to identify the location of the whale and help guide the creature out of the fjord. This is of course all under the assumption that the creature is actually a whale.

Before and After Pics

Aerial of the Kanin Fjord (The Old Village)