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The cod quota flex for the Norwegian fleet will be increased to 15 percent for 2022 after the decision by the Ministry of Trade and Industry
Norway will allow its fishing fleet to carry over 15 percent of the cod quota from 2021 to 2022 according to the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association (Fiskarlaget).
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has decided that closed group vessels, autolines and trawlers can transfer up to 15 percent of their remaining quotas in 2021 to 2022.
The decision on the quota flex was welcomed by the Association, but it is thought that the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries may not have the transfers in place for January.
“Quota transfer access from 2021 to 2022 will be increased to 15 percent in cod fishing. Following pressure from Fiskarlaget, the clarification came late Thursday,” said the Association on their website.
“The Ministry of Trade and Industry has thus decided to increase the transfer access and gives vessels in closed groups, conventional deep-sea fishing vessels and trawls the opportunity to transfer up to 15 percent of their remaining quotas from 2021 to 2022. In closed groups, residual quotas beyond this will be transferred at group level.
“Thus, the ministry follows up the Directorate of Fisheries’ recommendation from before the new year, which is completely in line with what the Fisheries Association has signalled to the authorities.”
“This is a sought-after and good solution for the fishermen, and we appreciate that the clarification is now coming,” says leader of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, Kåre Heggebø. “We are pleased that the ministry has followed up this matter in a good way, and this is an important clarification with regard to the fishing opportunities in 2022.”
“We have been concerned that no groups lose quota shares, this solution facilitates that. Now that the catch statistics indicate that we are within 85 percent quota utilisation in 2021, there is room for all vessels in the conventional group and the trawl group to be allowed to transfer up to 15 percent of their quotas to next year (ie this year, ed. Note). This is a good solution in what has been a challenging year especially for the smallest fleet,” says Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs Bjørnar Skjæran in his press release on the issue.
As a result of high residual quotas in last year’s cod fishing, it was agreed in the Norwegian-Russian fisheries negotiations to increase the right to transfer the Norwegian cod quota to 15 per cent from 2021 to 2022. The original transfer access was 10 per cent.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry also states that they have asked the Directorate of Fisheries to implement the change.
