Working through a series of online negotiation meetings, Norway and Russia have reached a fisheries agreement for 2022. This is Norway’s most important bilateral fisheries agreement.
‘The agreement entered into with Russia gives both the Norwegian and the Russian fishing industry a strong basis for sustainable and profitable fisheries in 2022,’ said Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Bjørnar Skjæran
‘Norway and Russia are in agreement that we must have ocean management in the High North that is both long-term and sustainable, so that we are able to take care of the world’s largest cod stock and the other species in the Barents Sea. The most important stocks in the High North are in a certain decline, but thanks to positive co-operation over many years, Norway and Russia have reached an agreement that is biologically sustainable.’
The quota for North-east Arctic cod for 2022 is set at 708,480 tonnes. This is divided between Norway, Russia and third countries on the same basis as in previous years. Norway’s share for 2022 is 321,605 tonnes.
An additional transfer of unused cod quota has been agreed from 2021 to 2022, with a transfer increased on a one-off basis from 10% to 15%. This is attributed to the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Directorate of Fisheries will present a proposal for how this should be handled under national regulations at a regulatory meeting next month and the Ministry of Trade and Industry will make the final decision on this.
The haddock quota is set at 178,532 tonnes for 2022. The Greenland halibut quota is 25,000 tonnes and the redfish quota is set at 67,201 tonnes, a 1052 tonne increase on last year’s quota.
Both parties have agreed to work on a management plan for the shrimp fishery.
Capelin fishing will also be licensed in 2022, with a 70,00 tonne quota, of which the Norwegian fleet gets 4,950 tonnes. This will be the first capelin season since 2018.
Norway’s head of delegation Morten Berg signs the 2022 fisheries agreement through a remote link while Rosrybolvstvo head Ilya Shestakov signs in Russia. Image: NFD
