Norway set Regulation for fishing cod in the North Sea and Skagerrak for 2023

The Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries has set the regulations for fishing for cod in the North Sea and Skagerrak for 2023

Vessels in the open group also receive an increased maximum quota from the start of the year. Other vessel groups are regulated with bycatch provisions. Here, the permitted bycatch is somewhat higher for certain groups.

The total quota is still, historically speaking, at a low level. A regulatory scheme has therefore been adopted from the start of the year which reduces the chances of the quota being caught before the end of the regulatory year. Based on the fishing rate, it will be assessed in June 2023 whether there is room to increase the maximum quotas/permitted bycatch.

In the quota agreement for 2022, Norway, the EU and Great Britain agreed to continue the measure on seasonally closed areas in Norway’s economic zone (NØS), British zone and in the EU zone to protect known spawning areas for cod.

“Although we have increased the quotas in line with advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), there is still a need to close the spawning area to ensure a good rebuilding of the cod population,” says Fisheries and Oceans Minister Skjæran.

The regulations for 2023

There are fixed maximum quotas in the North Sea for vessels fishing with conventional trawlers. Vessels have the opportunity to participate in a closed group and vessels under 15 meters can fish 8 tonnes, vessels between 15-21 meters can fish 16 tonnes, and vessels over 21 meters can fish 32 tonnes.

Vessels in the open group can fish and land 4 tonnes of cod at the start of the year.

It will not be open to direct fishing outside the baselines in the Skagerrak, but the established exception scheme for vessels that have met the conditions for exemption from the fishing ban in the Skagerrak and the scheme from 2015 that vessels with the largest length under 11 meters can fish directly for cod with cheats during the period 1 April to 30 June will be continued.

The following regulations have been laid down for by-catch in the North Sea:

• The permitted by-catch for vessels that fish with conventional gear other than purse seines is set at 15 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels that fish with purse seines is set at 10 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels that fish with large-mesh trawls is set at 5 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels with a North Sea trawl license or a limited North Sea trawl license is set at 10 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels that fish with shrimp trawls is set at 5 percent.
• The permitted by-catch for vessels fishing with small-mesh trawls, excluding shrimp trawls, is set at 0.5 per cent.
• The following regulations have been laid down for bycatch in Skagerrak:
• The permitted bycatch for vessels that fish with conventional fishing gear other than purse seines is set at 10 percent
• The permitted by-catch of cod in seines is set at 2.5 per cent
• The permitted bycatch in large-mesh trawls is set at 2.5 per cent
• The permitted bycatch for shrimp trawl is set at 5 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels with a North Sea trawl license or a limited North Sea trawl license is set at 2.5 percent.
• The permitted bycatch for vessels fishing with small-mesh trawls, excluding shrimp trawls, is set at 0.5 per cent.

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