National Executive Board Warns Against Real‑Time Catch Data
The national executive board of Norges Fiskarlag has issued a clear warning against making vessel activity and catch data publicly available in real time.
The board says real‑time publication of catch information, especially when combined with vessel position data, has previously led to increased pressure on fishing grounds. It argues that such information must be handled with caution.
ERS reports for Norwegian vessels over 15 metres are already available, but with a one‑month delay; a policy Fiskarlaget supports. The board also maintains that any expansion of data access must apply equally to foreign vessels operating in Norwegian waters. If this cannot be guaranteed, it proposes IP‑based geo‑blocking to prevent foreign actors from accessing Norwegian catch data.
Calls for Standardised Landings Information
Fiskarlaget points out inconsistencies in the way sales organisations publish landing and delivery data, noting differences in detail, time periods and delays. It is calling for a more unified and standardised format, including how data is presented by the Directorate of Fisheries.
The organisation has previously recommended a minimum seven‑day delay on the publication of coastal fleet catch data. It says it stands by this requirement and has now requested clarification from the ministry.
Organisations Clash Over Third‑Country Haddock Quota
A separate dispute has erupted over the distribution of Norway’s remaining third‑country haddock quota after the national executive board of Norges Fiskarlag decided that the entire released volume should go to the havfiskeflåten (offshore fleet).
The decision provoked strong reactions from both Kystfiskarlaget and Nord Fiskarlag.
In a published statement, Fiskebåt’s Jan Ivar Maråk condemned the criticism directed at the board, saying:
“The arguments put forward are historically inaccurate, and it is sad to see how little respect the mentioned actors have for their fellow professionals. This is an unworthy debate we should have been spared.”
Kystfiskarlaget argues that approximately 1,944 tonnes of remaining haddock quota belong to the national resource base and must be shared in accordance with established allocation keys and Stortinget’s intentions. Its leader, Tom Vegar Kiil, stated:
“This prioritisation never meant that the offshore fleet should be awarded the entire remainder. Prioritisation does not mean exclusivity.”
He notes that last year’s distribution followed this principle and says there is no political or practical reason to divert from it.
Broader Fight Over Representation and Influence
Kystfiskarlaget also criticised what it describes as an entrenched tendency for authorities to rely on Norges Fiskarlag when making resource decisions.
“Norwegian fisheries management cannot be governed through resolutions of one organisation’s national board,” Kiil said, adding that decisions must reflect the entire fleet through broad, democratic processes.
He argued that Norges Fiskarlag does not represent all Norwegian fishermen and that the evolving organisational landscape shows the coastal fleet has its own legitimate voice in resource management.
Nord Fiskarlag Error Adds Fuel to the Fire
The conflict intensified when Nord Fiskarlag mistakenly submitted its own quota position to the authorities instead of the compromise agreed within Norges Fiskarlag. The organisation’s leader issued an apology, but Fiskebåt’s Audun Maråk refused to accept it, deepening tensions between the groups.
The incident comes amid ongoing arguments about how Norges Fiskarlag should present unified positions externally, and whether individual associations are undermining broader agreements.
At the core of the current dispute is whether the Kvotemelding 2.0 compromise applied solely to cod or also to other remaining quota volumes, including this year’s haddock.
What the Kvotemelding 2.0 Issue Actually Is
Kvotemelding 2.0 is the Stortinget’s framework for how Norwegian fishing quotas should be distributed across the fleet. One part of this reform deals specifically with how Norway should allocate released third‑country quotas — the quota volumes left over after quota‑exchange agreements with other nations have been completed.
In Kvotemelding 2.0, Stortinget agreed that the havfiskeflåten should be prioritised when released third‑country quota becomes available. The purpose of this prioritisation was to compensate the offshore fleet for the quota loss it suffers under the new cod allocation formula. Under that formula, the cod deduction for the open group is taken off the top before the remaining quota is divided among the fleet groups. In 2026, the offshore fleet stands to lose 2,592 tonnes of cod from the trawl fleet and 854 tonnes from the conventional offshore fleet. The use of released haddock quota as compensation was intended to soften those losses.
The current conflict is about what “prioritised” actually means. Norges Fiskarlag’s national executive board interprets Stortinget’s decision as prioritisation in the strongest sense — that the entire released third‑country haddock quota for 2026 should be allocated to the offshore fleet. Kystfiskarlaget and Nord Fiskarlag reject this interpretation. They say that Stortinget never intended the offshore fleet to receive the full quota, stressing that “prioritisation” does not mean “exclusivity”, and that established allocation keys must still apply. They point out that last year’s distribution followed that principle and argue that there is no political or practical basis for awarding the whole volume to the offshore fleet.
Because the organisations interpret Kvotemelding 2.0 differently, Norges Fiskarlag has asked the ministry to clarify whether the prioritisation applies only to cod — which was the main focus of the reform — or whether it also applies to other remaining quota volumes, such as this year’s haddock. That clarification will determine how the 2026 third‑country haddock quota should be distributed.
