Ahead of this week’s European Union council of fisheries minister, the EU and Norway have concluded negotiations on the management of shared stocks in the Skagerrak and Kattegat, quota exchanges, and reciprocal access to waters.
The catch limits and quotas agreed between the EU and Norway will be submitted for incorporation into the Fishing Opportunities Regulation for 2025, during the council of EU fisheries ministers.
These agreements secure fishing opportunities for 2025, and provide visibility and access for EU fleets operating in Norwegian waters, including the North Sea and Skagerrak.
The EU gets 10,316 tonnes of Arctic cod for 2025 and will transfer 81,750 tonnes of blue whiting and 1700 tonnes of Northern shrimp to Norway. Secured quotas will provide the EU fleet with increased fishing opportunities in Norwegian waters in 2025.
EU and Norway reconfirmed stable reciprocal access to waters of the North Sea, allowing both EU and Norwegian fishers to maintain key fishing activities.
An agreement on access for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring could not be reached, while the parties state that consultations will continue.
TACs were agreed for cod, haddock, herring, plaice and whiting in the Skagerrak. Both EU and Norway agreed to continue restrictions on herring catches in the Skagerrak to safeguard the recovery of the Western Baltic herring stock, which mixes with the North Sea herring stock.
The EU urged Norway to introduce additional measures in Norwegian waters of the North Sea, where a vast majority of catches of Western Baltic herring now occur. Such measures are expected to help further protect the stock’s recovery, in addition to the measures already taken by the EU in the Baltic Sea and Kattegat.
The parties also signed the neighbouring arrangement covering the Swedish fishery in Norwegian waters of the North Sea.
