Russia and Norway Agree on 2025 Fish Quotas Amidst Declining Cod Stocks

In a significant development for the fishing industry, Russia and Norway have reached an agreement on the 2025 fish quotas. Unlike previous years, the negotiations were conducted entirely online, with no in-person meetings or joint research expeditions in the Barents Sea. The results of these virtual negotiations and data exchanges were announced overnight by the Norwegian-Russian Joint Fishery Commission.

The new quotas for cod in the Barents and Norwegian Seas have been set at 340,000 tons, marking a 25% decrease from the 2024 quota of 453,000 tons. This reduction follows a trend of declining quotas, with the 2024 quota already being 20% lower than that of 2023, which itself was 20% lower than the 2022 agreement.

The quotas are divided among three parties, with Norway and Russia receiving the largest shares. A smaller portion is allocated to several European Union countries and Iceland. According to the Norwegian Fishery Ministry, Norway’s share of the cod quota will be 163,436 tons.

Credit: FASFA