This year’s meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fishery Organisation (NAFO) took place online, and the key subject for discussion was area 3M.
The scientific advice was for a drastic reduction in quota, with a 1000 tonne quota recommended by the scientific committee for 2021, due to shortfalls in recruitment.
The decision is for a 1500 tonne quota, increased port inspection requirements, mandatory use of sorting grids in direct trawling for cod and a closure for the first quarter in 2021.
The regime for the shrimp fishery in 3M is rolled over from this year, with a recommended 5448 tonne quota for 2021 and a total of 2640 fishing days.
NAFO President Stéphane Artano also formally welcomed the UK as NAFO’s 13th contracting party. The UK joined NAFO in September.
The EU is the largest stakeholder in NAFO, with a 716 tonne cod quota, followed by Denmark on behalf of the Faroe Islands and Greenland with a 335 tonne cod quota. New member UK gets a 140 tonne cod quota in area 3M, while Norway’s quota is 139 tonnes. Russia, Cuba and Canada have cod quotas under 100 tonnes.
