Russia and Norway planning to boost mutual seafood trade

Russia and Norway continue close cooperation in the sphere of fisheries and will cooperate in raising the level of fish consumption in the both countries, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ with reference to Norway's Minister for Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Ms Lisbeth Berg-Hansen as cited by Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

According to Ms Berg-Hansen, in the recent years mutual cooperation of Russian and Norwegian fisheries authorities has helped them fight illegal fishery in the Barents Sea and in the Norwegian Sea.

In 2010 Norway exported seafood at the total value of Euro 6.7 billion to more than 140 countries. Russia was one of the largest destinations for Norwegian seafood exports with the nation's share amounting to slightly below 10%. In volume terms export to Russia was the largest and in value terms the country took the second place after France.

The Russian authorities would certainly like to increase presence of national products on the domestic market and Ms Berg-Hansen thinks that Russian and Norwegian products would not compete on the Russian market, but rather supplement each other as both nations target higher consumption of seafood.

Russia and Norway have been cooperating in management of fish resources in the Barents Sea since 1975. Last year the sides signed an agreement on delineation of marine grounds and cooperation in the Barents Sea and in the Arctic Ocean, the document acquiring historic importance in the relationship of both countries.