Fiskebåt is an interest and employer organization for the Norwegian sea-going fishing fleet, and represents the majority of the sea-going fishing vess

Limitations in the norwegian snow crab catch

NORWAY
Thursday, May 19, 2022, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

The total Norwegian quota for catching snow crab is 6725 tonnes for 2022.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has asked the directorate to provide a comprehensive assessment of future catches of snow crabs. As is well known, fishing boats have since 2019 requested that the authorities limit their participation in snow crab fishing.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry has asked the Directorate of Fisheries to make a comprehensive assessment of future regulation of snow crab catches, with particular emphasis on regulating participation in the catch. The total quota for snow crab is now caught within a shorter period of time than before, and that a large number of vessels are allowed to catch snow crab, while only a small proportion of these actual catches, it says in a press release from the ministry.

Department manager in Fiskebåt, Tor Are Vaskinn, says it is gratifying that there will be regulations. "We have been working with this since 2019, and believe it is high time that there are limits for who can participate in this catch. It is therefore gratifying that the ministry is now following up our inquiries in this case", says Vaskinn.

The Ministry has given the directorate free rein to assess whether snow crab fishing should be specialized, or additional fishing and whether participation should be limited acording to Fiskebåt.

The Ministry press release:

Will have a comprehensive assessment of future catches of snow crab

Should snow crab catches be regulated differently than today? This is the task now given by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries.

The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries is asked to make a comprehensive assessment of future regulation of the catch of snow crabs, with particular emphasis on the regulation of participation in the catch.

Total catch to date    |    remaining quota       |    Number of ships      |  Average daily catches

The total quota for catching snow crab is 6725 tonnes for 2022 - In this statistics view, you can follow the catch development: How much has been caught in total, how much quota remains and how many vessels catch (Click image to enlarge)

Shorter period

The background for the assignment is that the total quota for snow crab is caught within a shorter period of time than before, and that a large number of vessels are allowed to catch snow crab, while only a small proportion of these actually catch. There is also updated knowledge about the stock on the Norwegian shelf in the Barents Sea.

Specialized capture

A snow crab permit is mainly only granted to vessels that have a different operating basis than a snow crab. This takes the form of a special permit or participant access to catch snow crabs. For the shipping companies that have invested and are participating in this catch, snow crab catches have evolved more towards becoming a specialized catch.

Development

"The development in the catch of snow crab in recent years means that I think it is time to take a closer look at the regulation. We have a completely open approach to these questions and are concerned with getting more knowledge on the table before we decide whether the catch of snow crab should be regulated in a different way than today", says Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs Bjørnar Skjæran.

No guides

There are no guidelines for the Directorate of Fisheries' comprehensive review. The Ministry of Trade and Industry nevertheless points out that if the authorities at a later date decide to limit participation in the snow crab catch, activity or investments made after this date will not be able to provide a basis for future participation in the snow crab catch.

Source: Ministry of Trade and Industry

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