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Kanin Fjord Entry 4: Riches and Growing Pains
whiteshark365 posted a City Journal entry in Kanin Fjord
September 1, 1993 Ten months have passed since a bacterial infection of Pacific mollusks called the Kodak Disease has decimated the Pacific shellfish industry. Atlantic species of mollusks are immune to the bacterium resulting in boom in the Atlantic shellfish industry. Demand for Atlantic mollusks such as mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops has surged 300%, while prices have increased almost fivefold. Shellfish fishing in the Atlantic Ocean is now an extremely lucrative line of work. Kanin Fjord is experiencing a level of prosperity it had never seen before. The town’s fishing fleet is now a goldmine. Even modest catches are bringing in record profits. Fishing boat captains have become the richest inhabitants of the village. Captains are not greedy however and reinvest their profits into the town. Kanin Fjord now has the funding to repair its aging infrastructure and invest in more modern technologies. News of Kanin Fjord’s prosperity has spread along Norway’s western coast, particularly in Stokkvågen. Suddenly there was a great deal of interest in fishing in Kaninfjorden (the fjord itself). Fishing in the fjord is highly restricted however, due to a deal the Norwegian government made with the town at the end of World War 2, to help the town recover from Nazi occupation. Shortly after the end of World War 2, Kanin Fjord and the Coalition Government of Norway made an arrangement where only citizens of the town could commercially fish in Kaninfjorden. This arrangement gave the town exclusive fishing rights to Norway’s eighth largest fjord. All subsequent governments of Norway have honored this arrangement which is still in effect today. People are now immigrating to Kanin Fjord to cash in on the town’s prosperity. In a ten-month period, the town’s population increased by 17% from 447 to 524. Most residents have welcomed the new arrivals with open arms. The influx of workers for the town’s fish processing plant and additional deckhands on fishing ships has greatly benefited a town that has continually experienced a labor shortage. Growing Pains While positive for Kanin Fjord’s fishing industry, such a substantial increase in population has placed considerable stain on the town’s limited resources. Electricity production, sanitary waste treatment, and garbage removal all are now considerably taxed. Additionally, providing housing, medical services, and schooling for children created new challenges for the town, particularly in a town that has to import most basic necessities. Of the 77 new residents that moved into town, 6 are children. This is an issue for a town that lacks a school. Children in Kanin Fjord are either homeschooled by their parents until they are old enough to work or sent away to a boarding school in Stokkvågen. None of the new residents have the finances to send their children off to a boarding school, creating pressure on the town to construct a small school. Despite most villagers welcoming the new inhabitants, some residents were not as excited by the arrival of new people. Residents created a derogatory term which translates to “Clam Casher” to describe the new arrivals. Some feared the increased strain on the town’s resources would create a disaster when winter arrived, and others believed the new inhabitants would increase crime. Older and more superstitious villagers believed the new residents were not respecting the old Norse gods and that the gods would bring hardship and devastation to town. A complex underground geothermal system provides electricity for Kanin Fjord. Above is one of several access points to the underground network. Geothermal energy only provides enough power for lighting, small appliances, and refrigeration. Commercial and industrial structures require diesel generators to power machinery. The village has a ban on using electricity for heating. Most homes and businesses primarily use their own generators, propane, or woodburning fireplaces for warmth. The sudden increase in population and subsequent new housing has added additional strain to a system that is already inadequate at providing the village’s electrical needs. Even with the massive infusion of cash, Kanin Fjord still cannot afford to upgrade its existing power system; therefore, the town is considering importing electricity from a power plant located north of Stokkvågen. This will require the construction of a transmission line between the two towns, another expensive investment. At the start of the 1993 fishing season, Kanin Fjord only had ten hotel rooms in the entire village. The town rarely sees visitors and the sudden arrival of people moving into town quickly booked these rooms. Before new housing could be constructed, it was not uncommon for new arrivals to sleep in tents or in their boats when they first moved into town. A cheap and quick housing solution to the housing issue was the construction of small 3-unit apartment buildings that the locals call “Skall Skur” (translated means “Shell Shack”). Shell Shacks have a simple 2-room layout comprised of a combined bedroom/ kitchenette and a compact bathroom with a total floor area of 576 ft² (54 m²). Typically, two individuals rent a single unit. Six such apartment buildings were constructed which house roughly half of the new residents. Shell shacks only provided temporary housing. New residents eventually want to get their own home, particularly if they want their family to move into town. Those who had the fortune of finding work on a fishing vessel quickly earned enough to afford the construction of a new home. In all, 22 new homes were constructed which includes the above subdivision constructed on a new cul-de-sac at the northern end of Lakseveien. One of the most significant improvements to the town was the construction of an actual gas station. Previously, only the two rundown pumps at the South Port could provide fuel. This created an issue where ships would have to dock at the South Port to refuel. Local superstitions surrounding the south port at night created additional issues. Kanin Fjord had been negotiating with a Shell representative for three years to construct a gas station; however, the oil company wanted the town to make a down payment. Until the end of last year the town could not afford the down payment. With the profits from last season’s catch, the town was finally able to afford the down payment, and Shell constructed a station next to Ratatosk Pier. The location was perfect because it solved both the refueling issue and got around local superstitions. The Kanin Peninsula.-
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