Norway and Russia are winning the war against illegal fishing in the Barents Sea.
The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) on Thursday said there have been no instances of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Barents Sea for three-plus years. The determination came after the joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission met to compile and analyze 2011 statistics on the region’s cod and haddock fisheries
“This is great news, we are so pleased to hear that for another year running, there have been no illegal fishing practices in the Barents Sea,” said Johan Kvalheim, UK and France director of the NSC. “Everyone involved works incredibly hard to ensure that the fishing industry is regulated to create a fair industry and sustainable seas, so future generations can enjoy delicious Norwegian seafood for many years to come.”
The Norwegian Coastguard, working with the Directorate of Fisheries, inspects around 1,800 Norwegian and foreign vessels in Norwegian waters annually.
The Barents Sea is home to one of the world’s largest cod stocks, and 93 percent of Norway’s cod catch originates from the region.
