The Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission has agreed on fishing quotas for major species in the Barents Sea at its annual meeting on Thursday, 20 October in Moss, Norway.
According to a press release issued by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, the new agreement sets a total quota of 894,000 metric tons (MT) for Arctic cod, and gives Norway a cod quota of 400,000 metric tons. The 2017 total quota is up 4,000 MT from the current contract.
The total allowable catch for haddock has been set at 233,000 MT for 2017, a decline of 11,000 MT from 2016, while capelin will have no quota in 2017.
The two parties will be limited to 30,000 MT total of deep sea redfish for 2017 under the agreement, and the total allowable catch of halibut for 2017 increased by 2,000 MT to 24,000 MT. Both sides agreed to grant mutual rights for snow crab fishing and research expeditions in the Barents Sea.
“This is a unique collaboration on the management of the main fish resources in the Barents Sea. The agreement ensures that the sustainable harvesting of these resources continues. Under the revised management rules, cod, haddock and capelin stocks are still well cared for,” said Norwegian Fisheries Minister Per Sandberg in a press release.
