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Norwegians increase their mackerel quota for 2021 after a series of quota exchanges with other countries
Norway has increased their mackerel quota for 2021 after a series of quota exchanges with other countries bringing the total TAC to 304,648 tonnes.
The Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry made the announcement saying that it will provide new opportunities for the fleet.
This comes on back of the ministry’s decision on 27 May to set an increased Norwegian mackerel quota for 2021 at 298,299 tonnes. After exchanges with other countries, the Norwegian quota for 2021 is now 304,648 tonnes.
“Brexit and lack of access to the British zone have created major challenges for the mackerel fleet, but the increased Norwegian mackerel quota for 2021 opens up new opportunities. As is well known, the Norwegian quota for 2021 is based on mackerel’s increasing zone affiliation in Norwegian waters. I would therefore encourage the fleet to take advantage of the opportunity we now have and fish as much as possible of this year’s quota in Norwegian waters,” says Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen in a press release.
Distribution
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the “new” quota will be distributed between the vessel groups based on established distribution keys.
For vessels with a purse seine permit and for the trawl group, a preliminary under-regulation of the vessel quotas is set at 30 per cent. This will ensure that a certain proportion of the quotas can be saved in the autumn when fishing traditionally takes place in Norwegian waters and can contribute to stable deliveries of mackerel to the land industry. It is the intention that the Directorate of Fisheries will repeal the sub-regulation in the autumn when it is considered that fishing in international waters has largely ceased.
Flexibility of tools
The Minister of Fisheries allows for greater flexibility in relation to the use of gear for vessels with purse seine permits.
“Such vessels will be allowed to use trawls in the Norwegian Sea (outside the baseline north of 62 degrees north), in the same way as the vessels in the coastal vessel group. It should also be more cost-effective to fish for mackerel in an open group, and I have therefore decided to increase the vessel quota from 10 to 25 tonnes,” says Ingebrigtsen.
The Minister of Fisheries and Seafood is also considering granting an exemption from the lock-in order in the co-fishing for mackerel for 2021, based on the special situation for this year’s mackerel season, and that it is uncertain what the course of the mackerel season will be.
