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Norway has announced a preliminary mackerel quota of 100,000 tonnes and a blue whiting quota of 208,306 tonnes for 2021
Norges Slidesalgslag has reported that the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced a preliminary mackerel quota of 100,000 tonnes for 2021.
The preliminary quota was set to enable the pelagic fleet to have an immediate start-up in the new year.
“It is important for the Norwegian industry that fishing can start already at the beginning of the year. By setting an exemplary mackerel quota, we take into account those who need it. Then we can finish the Norwegian quota when the various negotiations that form the basis for a final Norwegian quota have been concluded,” says Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen.
A provision of 955 tonnes is planned for research and teaching purposes, 647 tonnes for recruitment quotas and 650 tonnes for bait. Furthermore, it is planned that the trial scheme for quota loading as a result of catching beyond the quota as well as the trial scheme for fishing for mackerel with spinner rods will be continued for some time before they are evaluated.
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The closed coast group will be regulated as a group in 2021, in the same way as in 2020.
Meanwhile on the blue whiting front, Norway has announced a quota of 208,306 tonnes for 2021.
The blue whiting TAC advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) for 2021 is 929,292 tonnes. The total quota includes a allocation to the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) for other countries’ fishing in international waters of 73,961 tonnes.
“It is important for Norwegian vessels to gain access to other countries’ zones in the fishing for blue whiting. We are currently working to complete agreements on zone access. Until we have reached the end of this, the Norwegian quota will be seen with a traditional distribution,” says Minister Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen. “Norway’s available quota will thus be 208,306 tonnes of blue whiting before the various possible swap agreements (including the EU) are included.”
Of this quantity, Norwegian vessels can fish 34,800 tonnes in the Faroese zone by bilateral agreement between the Faroe Islands and Norway for 2021. The quota exchange with Russia varies in proportion to the Norwegian blue whiting quota. According to the agreement, 16,175 tonnes of blue whiting will be exchanged for Russia by 2021.
Of the total quota, 1,030 tonnes have been set aside for research and teaching quotas.
