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Shrimp catches in the Barents Sea for 2023 is recommended not to exceed 153,000 tonnes, an increase of 13,000 tonnes compared to last year. Photo: Øystein Paulsen/Institute of Marine Research
The catch of shrimp in the Barents Sea in 2023 is recommended not to exceed 153,000 tonnes. This means an increase of 13,000 tonnes compared to last year according to the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.
In 2023, a quota of 153,000 tonnes is recommended. This is an increase of 13,000 tonnes from the quota council in 2022, and is far above the current catch, which has been around 60,000 tonnes in recent years.
“The shrimp population has varied over time but remained at a good level. With good shrimp prices, catches have picked up in recent years, and the fishery has once again become one of the largest shrimp fisheries in the North Atlantic,” says head of research Carsten Hvingel.
Several nations involved in shrimp fishing
It is not only Norway that is interested in shrimp fishing in the Barents Sea. Previously, the Norwegian share of the total catches was over ninety percent. In recent years, a number of other countries have signed up.
“The total catch has been stable in recent years, while the share taken by Norwegian shrimp fishermen and fishermen from other countries has varied somewhat,” says Hvingel.
A shrimp population that is doing well
“The shrimp quota increased considerably in 2020, but catches in recent years have remained stable at a much lower level. After all, today we have a shrimp population that is taxed sustainably,” concludes Hvingel.
