Russia and Norway completing talks on salmon export and tighter control of landings

Representatives of the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service Rosselkhoznadzor, the Norwegian State food service and Fishery Directorate have concluded talks in Oslo towards development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the sphere of veterinary control of animal products, seafood inclusive, according to Russian media reports.

In the course of the negotiations the sides have noted positive changes in Norwegian farmed fish export to Russia and agreed that in the future seafood export will be carried out in compliance with the requirements of the Russian veterinary legislation.

At the same time, the sides have agreed that Rosselkhoznadzor will send its specialists for mutual Russian-Norwegian inspection of Norwegian companies willing to export their farmed fish products to Russia.

By June 2007 the number of Norwegian exporters bringing chilled salmon to Russia is reportedly expected to increase from 9 plants currently approved for export to Russia to 25, because in the coming 2 or 3 months export permits would be given to another 16 plants from South, Central and North Norway.

Except for bilateral checks of fish farms Russia and Norway have agreed to cooperate in quality checks of Russian products provisionally kept at Norwegian coldstores.

Besides, the delegations have agreed to develop a program to monitor food safety of finfish and other aquatic species harvested in the EEZs of the both countries and other fishing areas of the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea.

Along with the above, according to the corresponding NEAFC decision, the sides will encourage introduction of government port control of landings of fish and fish products from foreign vessels as of 1 May 2007.

The sides will also draw up a list of Norwegian port terminals for Russian trawlers to land fish. For those trawlers Norway is the transit country for cargoes destined for European and Asian markets.