Fisheries cooperation in the North: a Norwegian perspective

Head of Committee, Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Introduction

On behalf of Norway, it is a great pleasure for me to be invited to the conference here in Murmansk, and it is a great honour to be able to address this seminar.

The theme of my intervention today is fisheries cooperation in the north as seen from a Norwegian perspective. In this presentation, I will reflect on the emergence of bilateral cooperation on the management of fisheries resources in the north, with emphasis on Russian-Norwegian fisheries cooperation. In my view we have, indeed through joint efforts, managed the fisheries resources in the Barents Sea in a sustainable manner, in spite of numerous challenges during the last decades. I will therefore try to highlight the aspects which I think constitute the main explanation why the Barents Sea today is one of the most valuable marine ecosystems in the world.  

Historical background

While management of the fish resources today is intimately linked to the development of the law of the sea, it is a fact that the main features of Russian-Norwegian cooperation were in place prior to the introduction of the exclusive economic zones in 1977 and the completion of the United Nations Convention on the law of the sea in 1982.

In august 2007, Russian and Norwegian marine researchers met in Tromsø to celebrate fifty years of bilateral cooperation on marine research in the high north. The conference duly noted that cooperation in marine science goes back even further than 50 years. Joint marine research has a long tradition in the Barents Sea. Johan Hjort and Fridtjof Nansen discussed marine science with Nikolai Mikhailovich Knipovich more than one hundred years ago. Professor Knipovich came to Norway on the maiden voyage of the world’s first vessel specially equipped for fishery science, “Andreij Pervozvonnyj”. The vessel had been built in order to extend the analysis of the fish stocks that Knipovich already had started in the Barents Sea. The collegial friendship between Knipovich and Hjort lasted a lifetime.

Russian and Norwegian contributions to increased knowledge have not only been complementary, they have been in fact been united towards creating a better basis for the management of the fish stocks. In particular, the cooperation between PINRO in Murmansk and IMR in Bergen and Tromsø has been close and productive. During the latter years, cooperation also has been strengthened through agreements with VNIRO in Moscow and other agencies in St. Petersburg.

For all stakeholders, the important contribution from this research, including to ICES, is vital for good management of the ecosystem. Today, the opinion, media and the non-governmental organisations also demand better correspondence between scientific knowledge and management goals than what was the case thirty years ago. Even so, the joint marine scientific work carried out by our scientists has been a cornerstone in managing the living marine resources in the Barents Sea. 

Management

In December 1974, The Soviet Union and Norway agreed to establish a Joint Fishing Commission as a supplement to the management efforts carried through in NEAFC. The Soviet-Norwegian Fishing commission convened for the first time in January 1976. When the 1975 agreement was presented in the Norwegian parliament, the Government emphasised that Norway wanted a closer cooperation with the Soviet Union in order that more effective measures could be introduced for conservation of the fish stocks in the North east Atlantic. The agreements made between the Soviet Union and Norway in the years from 1974 till 1977 in effect laid the basis for a fruitful cooperation with huge benefits for us today, and for coming generations of fishermen and our coastal communities. Through the annual meetings of the joint fisheries commission, and through its sub-committees, the determination of quotas, agreements on scientific cooperation and control issues are carried out in an orderly and thorough manner. From a Norwegian point of view, our relationship with Russia is excellent when it comes to fisheries management. 

Current challenges

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has been the main challenge in the management of the cod stock during the last ten years. As we see it, this criminal activity is a trans-national phenomenon partly a result of the economic upheavals caused by globalisation during the last decades. For Russia and Norway as responsible fishing nations and as coastal states to the cod stock, there was no alternative than to enforce stringent measures against IUU activities. An unregulated fishing in the long run becomes a very unprofitable fishing. A regulated fishing, on the other hand, creates higher quotas for legitimate fishermen from all nations fishing in the Barents Sea, and a higher and more correct price for the fish they sell.

Through joint as well as national efforts, we are in the process of effectively combating IUU activities in the Barents Sea. Today we believe that IUU fishing has been significantly reduced since 2005. From a Norwegian point of view, Russian authorities and fishermen have been very important in making this reduction possible. We are very grateful for this contribution, and we would like to thank Russia for the improvements we have seen. At the same time we realise that the problem of unreported catches will not disappear without further strong efforts by our governments and our fishing industry.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank other European states through those present here today, Spain and Iceland, for their commitment to the international cooperation against IUU fishing. Stricter port state measures that were introduced in 2007 in the NEAFC convention area would not have been possible without your help.  

Conclusion

To conclude, I would permit myself to say that the results of Russian and Norwegian fisheries cooperation are very positive. I think most managers of fisheries would envy the results we have achieved. In a broader perspective, it is also clear to us that all major fishing nations conducting legitimate fishing in the Barents Sea have contributed to sustainable use of the fish resources in the Barents Sea. Compliance with regulations and laws has improved. Unreported fishing has been significantly reduced over the past two years. This, in my view, encourages us to continue our cooperation in the future, for the benefit of fishermen and their communities. 

Thank you for the attention.