Norway and Russia agree to increase cod and haddock quotas
Amid ongoing conflicts over access to fishing grounds and ports, Norway and Russia have reached an agreement on catch quotas for 2027 in the Barents Sea.
“For the first time in six years, we are seeing an increase in the Barents Sea cod quota. This is very welcome news,” said Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
The agreement was reached in Istanbul, where the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission met this week.
“We have decided to increase the total allowable catch of cod next year by 14 per cent,” said Ilya Shestakov, head of Russia’s Federal Agency for Fisheries.
He added that the commission had also established quotas for haddock, capelin, halibut and perch, while agreeing on additional regulatory measures and the reciprocal exchange of quotas.
The cod quota for 2026 was the lowest since 1991. The peak came in 2013, when fishermen were allowed to catch one million tonnes of cod in the Barents and Norwegian seas.
The quota for 2027 has been set at 325,000 tonnes, representing a 14 per cent increase on this year. Norway and Russia receive the largest shares of the catch. Each year, 14 per cent of the total quota for Northeast Arctic cod is allocated to third countries, including the European Union and Iceland.
50 years of cooperation
The Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission has set quotas for fishing in the Barents Sea since 1976. Since 1993, its remit has also included the exchange of catch data, inspections and other matters relating to compliance and enforcement.
According to the protocol agreed to in Istanbul this week, the total haddock quota for 2027 has been set at 180,336 tonnes, an increase of 18 per cent compared with this year. Norway’s share will be 88,973 tonnes.
The total Greenland halibut quota for 2027 has been set at 21,000 tonnes, an increase of 11 per cent on this year. Norway’s share will be 10,695 tonnes.
The total quota for beaked redfish in 2027 has been set at 67,090 tonnes, a decrease of 3 per cent compared with this year. Norway’s share will be 46,305 tonnes.
As in 2025 and 2026, no capelin fishery will be permitted in 2027. Capelin are a key food source for cod, and the agreement to maintain a zero catch is intended to help rebuild cod stocks in the coming years.
Disputes over port access and sanctions
In autumn 2022, Norwegian authorities barred Russian-flagged fishing vessels from entering Norwegian ports, with the exception of Tromsø, Båtsfjord and Kirkenes. The move came as the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on Norebo and Murman Seafood, two of the largest Russian fishing companies operating in the Barents and Norwegian seas. Norway followed suit, barring the two companies from fishing in its exclusive economic zone.
Russian authorities and the two companies protested against the measures, denying allegations that their trawlers had been involved in intelligence-gathering activities.
According to the protocol from this week’s meeting of the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission, the Russian side continues to regard “Norway’s unilateral restrictions on Russian fishing vessels” as illegitimate.
“This year’s negotiations have been challenging, and the listing of the two Russian fishing companies has once again had an impact on the talks. Despite this, I am pleased that we have reached an agreement that will ensure the sustainable management of these important fishery resources in the north,” Sivertsen Næss said.
Russian fishing vessels are currently permitted to call at only three ports in northern Norway: Tromsø, Båtsfjord and Kirkenes.
Russia has warned that, should further unilateral restrictions on Russian fishing vessels’ access to Norwegian ports be introduced, it reserves the right to suspend the 2027 agreement, according to the commission’s protocol.
Competing with the Navy
In the Barents Sea, fishing vessels are increasingly competing with the Russian Northern Fleet for access to fishing grounds. The waters north of Murmansk have been important training grounds for submarines and warships operating from naval bases along the coast of the Kola Peninsula since the Cold War. However, since 2022, the size and frequency of areas closed to civilian traffic for military exercises have increased substantially.
From Sunday 25 October to Wednesday 28 October, a vast area of the Barents Sea is closed to civilian vessels. The Russian Navy has provided few details about the scope of the exercise, stating only that it will involve “missile firings.”
