Factor Reduced Following Comprehensive Industry Review
The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries has introduced a new conversion factor for snow crab claws following an extensive review involving vessels, scientists and industry organisations.
The updated factor aims to ensure more accurate reporting of catches and resource extraction throughout the 2026 fishing year.
A conversion factor is used to calculate the round weight of a species when only processed product weight is available. Factors vary depending on season, catch area, biological condition and processing methods. The Directorate emphasised that accurate quota accounting requires correct use of these factors when landing reports do not include whole‑crab weights.
New Ratio Reflects Updated Biological Data
The Directorate confirmed that the snow crab claw conversion factor will be reduced from 1.61 to 1.49 for 2026. This adjustment follows new data collected from nine vessels, with both round crab weight and claw weight recorded. Additional documentation was gathered from Directorate inspectors and Institute of Marine Research personnel working aboard snow crab vessels.
Officials said the evidence clearly supported a downward adjustment, improving the precision of quota usage calculations and ensuring more accurate reporting of resource extraction.
Industry Input Leads to More Accurate Measurement
Industry representatives played a key role in the reassessment. Fiskebåt, which formally submitted input to the Directorate, welcomed the decision. Department manager Tor Are Vaskinn said the revision would provide a fairer representation of actual catch composition.
“We are very pleased that the directorate is now making this change, which is much more precise. In practice, this will mean around three million kroner in extra income for the boats, based on current prices,” Vaskinn said.
Increased Quota Availability for Freezer Vessels
For vessels that freeze snow crab on board, the factor change results in an estimated 18 tonnes of additional allowable quota weight. This gives certain operators greater operational flexibility and additional earning potential during the 2026 season.
Industry bodies also thanked the vessels that took part in sample collection, noting that accurate biological data was essential for the Directorate’s assessment.
Applied Across All 2026 Catches
The updated conversion factor applies to all landings during the 2026 fishing year and will be used retroactively to correct figures for catches already landed. According to the Directorate, this ensures consistency and fairness in quota tracking for the entire season.
The Directorate reiterated that strict procedures govern any modification of conversion factors, with decisions based on professional biological assessment and verified datasets. The goal is to ensure the most accurate possible estimate of resource extraction in a quota‑regulated fishery.
