Quotas 2012 for fisheries in Russia's North Basin displaying increases

Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission has raised Russian capture quotas for fish stocks jointly regulated by two countries in the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/.

Comparison of Russian quotas 2011-2012 in the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea

The 40th session of Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission was held in Kaliningrad, Russia, from 10 to 14 October 2011. The meeting was mostly devoted to approval of TACs in the Barents Sea and in the Norwegian Sea under the joint jurisdiction of the two countries, distribution of capture quotas between Russia and Norway for the year 2012 and harmonization of fishery regulation measures.

According to the protocol of the session, Russia and Norway have come to following agreements:

1. Cod TAC 2012 (including inshore cod) - 772,000 MT, Russian quota -327,800 MT (+20,600 MT). The TAC is distributed between the countries at 50/50.
2. Haddock TAC 2012 - 318,000 MT, Russian quota -144,300 MT (+4,500 MT). The TAC is distributed between the countries at 50/50.
3. Black halibut TAC 2012 - 18,000 MT, Russian quota -7,425 MT (+675 MT). The black halibut TAC in the waters under the jurisdiction of Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission (including scientific quotas out of national quotas) is distributed in the following way: 51% - to Norway, 45% - to Russia, 4% - to third countries.
4. Capelin TAC 2012 - 320,000 MT, Russian quota - 124,000 MT (30,000 MT of capelin have been handed over by Norway in exchange of 10,000 MT of herring out of the Norwegian quota). Capelin TAC in the Barents Sea is distributed in the following way: 60% to Norway and 40% to Russia.
5. Red king crab in the Barents Sea. The Russian side has informed the Norwegian side on technical means of red king crab fishery regulation in the Russian EEZ and on the Russian quota 2012 at 4,000 MT (in 2011 - 4,000 MT or 1,250,000 crabs). The Norwegian side has informed the Russian side on development of the red king crab stock, on national measures of red king crab fishery regulation in 2011. The national regulatory measures include definition of the area regulated by quotas. Beyond the area the fleets are allowed to conduct free fishery, with the discards of crabs into the sea being prohibited. For the regulated fishing year 2011-2012 the Norwegian quota in the regulated area has been set at 1,200 MT of males and 50 MT of females.
6. Discards in trawl and longline fisheries. Discards mean release or return of fish into the sea from onboard the vessel which is carried out deliberately or accidentally. Discards do not imply fish falling from the fishing gear at the moment of its lifting onboard (when the fish escapes via trawl mesh or from hook) as well as in case of damage to fishing gear. When carrying out fishing operations the fishermen should do their best to lift unviable fish onboard. After the catch is onboard, rotten or other spoiled fish not fit for human consumption can be returned to the sea without too much delay. Fish not fit for human consumption due to handling operations onboard the vessels as well fish not processed due to the lack of the vessels processing capacities cannot be returned to the sea. Fish wastes after onboard processing operations (heads, bones, fins, skins, insides) can be returned to the sea.
7. Agreement on delineation of marine grounds from 15 September 2010 and cooperation in the Barents Sea and in the Arctic Ocean. The sides have stated its entering into force as of 7 July 2011. The sides have underlined importance of the Agreement's article on absence of negative consequences of its signing for each of the countries in the sphere of fisheries. The sides have noted that the Agreements between the governments of former USSR and Norway dated as far back as 11 April 1975 and 15 October 1976 remain valid in the course of 15 years since their entry into force and then for extra 6-year periods.
8. Fishery in the waters of Spitsbergen. Taking into account different positions of the sides as to the fishery in the area, they have agreed to conduct a special session on the issue. Towards that end they will create a working group from high rank officials from interested bodies, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
9. The sides have agreed to inform each other on intention to hand over uncovered remainders of scientific quotas 2011 to commercial quotas 2012 until the end of the current year 2011.
10. The Russian side has confirmed its intention to receive information from the Norwegian side on landings of Russian seafood at Norwegian ports for further export to third countries. The Norwegian side has noted that all catches landed at Norwegian ports are registered as primary and reported to the country of the vessel's flag.
11. The Norwegian side has informed the Russian side that it has allocated 7,000 MT of cod for recreational fishery and tourist fishery each in 2010 and 2011. Tourist catch of the stocks is estimated at ca.3,000 MT with the share of cod amounting to ca.1,500 MT.