Norway and Russia have reached an agreement for 2021 which provides grounds for optimism in the fishing industry, according to Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen.
‘I am very pleased that we have also for next year been able to reach an agreement that both safeguards the interests of the fishing industry and is sustainable. This is a bright spot in a situation where the corona pandemic also affects the fishing industry,’ he said.
Due to the Covid-19 situation, this year’s negotiations took place remotely.
The cod stock is judged to be in good condition and the Northeast Arctic cod TAC for 2021 is set at 885,600 tonnes, in line with the management rule. The overall cod quota is distributed between Norway, Russia and third countries according to the same pattern as in previous years. Norway’s quota for 2021 will be 397,635 tonnes, including 21,000 tonnes of coastal cod and 7000 tonnes of research catch.
The total quota for haddock is set at 232,537 tonnes for 2021. There will be no capelin fishery in 29021.
The quota for Greenland halibut in 2021 is set at 27,000 tonnes. A quota for redfish is set at 66,158 tonnes for 2021, an increase of 10,298 tonnes compared to the 2020 figure.
The fisheries agreement also contains technical regulations for fishing, control measures and research collaboration. There is a long-term and comprehensive research collaboration between Norway and Russia on resources and the ecosystem in the Barents Sea, and the parties agreed on a joint Norwegian-Russian research programme for 2021.
