Russian herring quota 2008 in the Northeast Atlantic agreed

Pentalateral consultations in London aimed at setting the TACs and international quotas of spring-spawning Norwegian herring have resulted into an agreement between the delegations of the EU, Faroe Islands, Norway, Iceland and the Russian Federation. The herring TAC 2008 has been set at 1,518,000 metric tons, 238,000 tonnes up on the TAC 2007. This round of talks conducted on 12 November 2007 has been sequential to the negotiations on 25 October 2007 which also took place in London.

TACs and quotas 2008 of spring-spawning Norwegian herring broken down between coastal states

• 1. Each party can carry over the remainder of its quota 2008 (of up to 10%) to the year 2009. The share will be added to the side's herring quota in 2009.
• 2. Each party can allow its fishing vessels to exceed the approved herring quota by up to 10% in 2008. In this case the volume of the party's herring catch exceeding the approved quota will be deducted from the quota 2009.
• 3. The parties have to give the information on quotas taking into account the volumes handed over to other parties and herring catches broken down between the zones (NEAFC, EU zone, Faroese fishing zone, Icelandic EEZ, Norwegian EEZ, Yan-Mayen zone, Spitsbergen area, Russian EEZ).
• 4. Further fishery management measures, including fishermen's access to foreign zones for herring fishery are regulated under the bilateral agreements:

Russia-Norway: Russian fishermen can cover their quota of 194,607 tonnes in the areas under the Norwegian jurisdiction to the north of the 62nd degree North.

Russia-Iceland: in the Icelandic EEZ the Russian fishermen can harvest 6539 tonnes of herring beyond the area limited by the points A. 64°00. N - 09°00. W; B. 67°00. N - 09°00. W; C. 69°25. N - 13°00. W.

Russia-Faroe Islands: the issue on Russia's access to the Faroese fishing zone for herring fishery and allowable catch volumes will be settled later on.

Iceland-Norway: in 2008 Icelandic vessels can harvest all their quota of 220,262 tonnes in the Yan-Mayen waters or in the Norwegian EEZ to the north of the 62nd degree North. At the same time, only 40,986 tonnes of herring can be harvested in the Norwegian EEZ to the north of the 62nd degree North. The Norwegian vessels are allowed to harvest 106,734 tonnes of herring in the Icelandic waters. In case in 2007 the Icelandic fishermen harvest less than 30,360 tonnes in the Norwegian EEZ to the north of the 62nd degree North, Norway will hand over 1518 tonnes of its quota to Iceland.

Faroe Islands-Norway: the Faroese fishermen can harvest 46,252 tonnes of herring in the waters under the Norwegian jurisdiction to the north of the 62nd degree North. At the same time, the harvest in the Norwegian EEZ is limited to 34,392 tonnes. The Norwegian fishermen are allowed to harvest 35,578 tonnes of herring in the Faroese fishing zone.

EU-Norway: the EU fishermen are allowed to harvest 88,939 tonnes of herring in the Norwegian EEZ to the north of the 62nd degree North. The Norwegian side is allowed to harvest the same amount of herring (88,939 tonnes) in the EU waters to the north of the 62nd degree North.

The parties have also agreed to respect the scientific recommendations as to the long-term management of spring-spawning Norwegian herring (Atlanto-Scandian herring). They have agreed to carry out the long-term plan of the herring stock's management based on the preventive approach and restriction of the fishery area within the biologically safe limits.