Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission setting cod quotas for 2008
At the recent 36th session of the Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission the sides have discussed results of cod and haddock fisheries in the Barents Sea in 2006-2007 and agreed to set the TAC of arctic cod and inshore cod in the year 2008 at 451,000 metric tons to display a 6000-tonne rise on the current year 2007. The above figure includes a commercial fishing quota of 429,000 tonnes (387,000 tonnes of offshore cod for the both countries and 21,000 tonnes of inshore cod for each party) and a quota of 22,000 tonnes (11,000 tonnes for each party) for research and fishery management purposes, fishery sources in Murmansk told www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru).
The sides have noted smaller volumes of the stock's overexploitation in the 2006-2007, partly thanks to introduction of the state port control under the NEAFC initiative as of 1 may 2007.
The TACs of cod and haddock have been distributed between Norway, Russia and third countries in the same proportions as in the previous years. More specifically, Norway has received a total quota of 202,650 metric tons taking into account the quota handed over by Russia plus the quota for research and management purposes for each of the sides.
The condition of the haddock stock has been found as fairly good and the TAC has been increased from 150,000 tonnes in 2007 to 155,000 tonnes in 2008. The share of Norway has been set at 78,599 metric tons taking into account a part of the quota handed over by Russia.
Full details of the distribution of the TAC are given in the table below.
Species | TAC, metric tons | Total Quota, metric tons | Handed over by Russia to Norway, metric tons | National quotas, metric tons | |||
| Third countries | Parts of quota | ||||||
| Norway | Russia | Norway | Russia | ||||
I | II | III=(I-II)/2 | IV=(I-II)/2 | V | VI=III+V | VII=IV-V | |
| Cod | 387,000 | 57,700 | 164,650 | 164,650 | 6,000 | 170,650 | 158,650 |
Norwegian inshore cod | 21,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 | ||||
Murmansk inshore cod | 21,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 | ||||
Total of cod | 429,000 | 57,700 | 185,650 | 185,650 | 6,000 | 191,650 | 179,650 |
Haddock | 147,000 | 7,000 | 70,000 | 70,000 | 4,500 | 74,500 | 65,500 |
The sides have also approved mutual quotas for capture of cod and haddock in the both zones.
Cod and haddock quotas 2008 of Russia and Norway for mutual operations in the nations' EEZs (except for the Grey zone), metric tons
EEZ | Species | Total | |
Cod | Haddock | ||
Norwegian quota in the Russian EEZ | 140,000 | 20,000 | 160,000 |
Russian quota in the Norwegian EEZ | 140,000 | 20,000 | 160,000 |
Distribution of cod quotas 2008 for third countries in the Russian and Norwegian EEZs, metric tons
Total | Spitsbergen | Norwegian EEZ | Russian EEZ |
57,700 | 16,320 | 24,070 | 17,310 |
Distribution of cod and haddock quotas 2008 for third countries in the Russian and Norwegian EEZs, metric tons
Species | Norwegian EEZ | Russian EEZ | Total | Of which in the Grey zone | |
Norway | Russia | ||||
Cod | 24,070 | 17,310 | 41 380 | 17,310 | 17,310 |
Haddock | 4,200 | 2,800 | 7,000 | 2,800 | 2,800 |
Russia's quotas 2008 in the Norwegian EEZ, metric tons
Species | Quota | Note |
Ocean perch Sebastes Marinus + ocean perch Sebastes Mentella | 2000 | Inevitable bycatch of up to 15% per each particular catch |
Blue whiting | 21,755 | Can be harvested in the limited area of the Norwegian EEZ and in the fishing zone of the Yan-Mayen Island beyond the 4-mile zone. In the blue whiting fishery it is allowed to bycatch up to 10% of mackerel per each particular catch. |
Saithe | 15,000 | Up to 5000 tonnes for direct fishery, with the remaining volume to be harvested as bycatch in cod and haddock fishery. The bycatch is limited to 49% per each particular catch. Allowable bycatch in herring fishery to the north of the 62nd degree North is limited to 5% per each particular catch. |
Sea cat | 2000 | For direct fishery and bycatch |
Other species | 3000 | Non-regulated species as bycatch in fishery of quota-regulated species |
Norway's quotas 2008 in the Russian EEZ, metric tons
Species | Quota | Note |
Shrimp | 3000 | |
Sea cats | 1500 | Direct fishery + bycatch |
Plaice | 1000 | Direct fishery + bycatch |
Other species | 500 | Non-regulated species as bycatch in direct fishery of quota-regulated species |
Greenland seal | 10,000 (adult animals) | Fishery is allowed in the area of the Eastern Ices. In sea-calf fishery one adult is recorded as 2.5 calves. |