NORWAY SAYS NO TO DISCARDS

Transcription

1 NORWAY SAYS NO TO DISCARDS 2012 marks the 25 th anniversary of a total ban on fishing discards in Norway INDEX Page 1. Introduction 2 2. Research 3 3. Management a. Setting Quotas 4 b. International Co-operation 6 c. Licences & Permits 7 d. Regulations 8 4. Control Enforcement and Sanctions 9 5. Timeline The sustainable journey The picture today Certification Collaboration with WWF Contacts for interviews and comment 20 For further information please contact Sam Purnell or Alison Weir on fiskpr@brayleino.co.uk 1

2 INTRODUCTION Norway has a long tradition of managing its fisheries in harmony with nature, and is internationally regarded by many organisations as a world leader in sustainable fisheries management. Since 1987 Norway has committed to ensuring that their cold, clear waters are fished sustainably. Most recently this has been acknowledged with MSC certification for all Norwegian wild cod and haddock. The Barents Sea, where Norway captures about 93% of all its cod has the largest growing cod stock in the world. Following scientific advice through ICES*, Norway has been able to increase its cod quota over the last few years marks the 25 th anniversary of a total ban on fishing discards in Norway. The ban is one part of a larger, comprehensive package of policies that Norway has implemented to ensure their fishing is sustainable. SUSTAINABLE FISHING IN THE UK A study by the University of York in 2009 concluded that adopting Norwegian policies in the North Sea would provide substantial benefits to the stocks with minimal short term costs to the fishing industry. Initially, the economic cost to the Norwegian fishing industry was relatively high with fishermen experiencing lower catch values and lower CPUE (cost per unit of fishing effort). However, the period for which the fishing sector remained less profitable lasted for just four years. Today, the Norwegian and Barents Sea fisheries are some of the most prosperous in the world. THREE PILLARS FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS Norwegian fisheries management is based on the principle of optimal and sustainable utilisation of resources i.e. the utilisation of resources to the full and in such a way that they will still be there for future generations to enjoy. Consideration for the sustainability of a business also extends to it also being financially and socially sustainable. Fisheries and aquaculture management shall also take into consideration workplaces along the Norwegian coast and ensure financially viable businesses that also operate in an environmentally sustainable way. FOUR KEY PRINCIPLES OF NORWEGIAN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT Principle RESEARCH REGULATIONS CONTROL SANCTIONS Organisation ICES* / ACOM Institute of Marine Research Tools Norway invests heavily in research via its Institute of Marine Research and with guidance from ICES Ministry of Fisheries Directorate of Fisheries Regulations: Mesh size Selectivity rules Restricted use of trawls and other gears Seasonal closure of fisheries Minimum sizes Discard ban Coast Guard Directorate of Fisheries Sales organisations Policing by the coastguard with the right to stop and search. Directorate of Fisheries undertake regular raids with their own vessels. The sales organisations (there are several) register all landings of fish and keep track of the remaining quota of all vessels and report this information to the Directorate of Fisheries. Prosecuting Authority Court of Law Administrative sanctions There are strict sanctions and fines being administered if fisherman are found to be flouting the rules 2

3 RESEARCH Norwegian fisheries policy and management are based on the principles of sustainable harvesting of the marine living resources. Sustainable harvest depends on healthy marine ecosystems. Maintaining the health of the sea is therefore a fundamental principle for all activities concerning fishing and aquaculture. Norwegian fisheries management is based on the best available knowledge and expertise from national and international research institutes. Institute of Marine Research is responsible for monitoring Norwegian fish stocks The Institute of Marine Research is Norway's largest centre of marine science. Their main task is to provide advice to Norwegian authorities on aquaculture and the ecosystems of the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea and the Norwegian coastal zone. For this reason, about fifty percent of their activities are financed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. The aim of research and management advice provided by IMR is to ensure that Norway's marine resources are harvested in a sustainable way. 3

4 SETTING QUOTAS 90% of Norway s fisheries in the wild come from stocks that are shared with other countries. After the International Council for the Exploration of The Sea (ICES) has made its quota recommendations, quota negotiations take place between Norway and other countries. Quota negotiations with other fisheries management authorities are held annually, and Norway has entered into management cooperation agreements with Russia (Norwegian-Russian fisheries commission), EU, Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands and others. The countries concerned negotiate an agreement on a total quota for the stocks - Total Allowable Catch (TAC). When the total quota has been agreed, the Directorate of Fisheries recommends a division of the quota between different groups of vessels. The Directorate of Fisheries also makes recommendations on fishing periods and when these should start and finish. The regulatory meetings ensure the involvement and participation of interested parties/stakeholders. There are 12 participants from fisheries organisations, the fisheries industry, sales associations, the Sami Parliament and the Directorate of Fisheries. - The fisheries are regulated by limiting access by means of licences - Another method of regulation is through quota limits on how much individual vessels are permitted to catch - A third method of regulation is technological regulation of fishing methods and a ban on discards 4

5 The quota system The Norwegian TACs are split into group quotas, which correspond to the different groups of vessels. The quota percentages correspond to a fixed allocation key, which is in accordance to a historical fee, but is open to revisions. The last revision was Quotas are divided into Individual Vessel Quotas (IVQs), Maximum Quotas or groundfish quotas. Quota distribution Individual Vessel Quota (IVQ) Maximum Quota Groundfish Quota Quotas are fixed for each participating vessel holding a licence or annual permit, which guarantees them a fixed proportion of the group quota. IVQs mainly apply to vessels with permits or licences. Allocated to coastal vessels in open access fisheries, also called Olympic quota. Once the group quota has been reached, fishing is stopped, regardless of whether each vessel has reached its Maximum Quota. This system is used in groups where the efficiency of vessels varies widely and includes many small vessels. Mainly regulate coastal vessels using conventional gear, rather than trawlers. Quota combining the quotas from cod, haddock and saithe from each vessel participating. Some quotas are made transferable as a mechanism to reduce fleet overcapacity. A quota-transfer system called the Unit Quota System (UQS) and, for the larger coastal vessels, the Structural Quota System (SQS), was implemented from Both the UQS and the SQS allows the owner of two vessels to transfer the quota of one vessel to another, and fish the entire quota on one vessel for a period, or part of the quota for unlimited period, on the condition that the other vessel is scrapped. A new system called Quota Exchange System (QES) was developed and implemented as a temporary arrangement for parts of the coastal fleet in The QES allows two vessel owners to team-up and fish both quotas on one vessel for a limited period. This agreement was successful and became policy in 2005 when deep sea fishing vessels also became part of the QES system. The QES allows the owner of two vessels to transfer the quota of one vessel to another. 5

6 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION As mentioned on page 4, 90 per cent of Norway s fisheries in the wild come from stocks that are shared with other countries. Norway shares its fishing quota with Russia, Iceland, The EU and several other countries. The majority of Norwegian stocks are shared, rendering bi- and multilateral agreements an important part of Norwegian fisheries management. Cooperation in the fisheries sector between the EU and Norway dates back to a bilateral agreement established in 1980, which has since been subject to amendments. The agreement permits EU and Norwegian fishing vessels to conduct specific fishing operations in certain areas under their respective jurisdictions. The two parties cooperate in management and the protection of fisheries resources. Norway and Russia Russia and Norway share cod, haddock and capelin stocks in the Barents Sea, making cooperation between the two important. Bilateral cooperation began in the 1950s with collaborative stock assessment research. This developed into an Agreement on Fishing Cooperation in 1975 and a further Agreement in Together these formed the basis of joint management and established the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission. The Commission holds an annual meeting to decide upon Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and their distribution among Russia, Norway and third countries. The Commission also decides on access to fisheries in national zones and quota exchanges for joint and national stocks. A new border agreement, effective from July 7, 2011 has seen dramatic improvements in co-operation between the two countries and it is now business as usual for fisheries: Fisheries agreement with Russia will regulate fisheries Easier rules only Norwegian and Russian rules no greyzone rules IUU fishing in the early 2000 of 100,000 tons per year, now reduced to nothing Improved science/ quota advice Improved market: no cheap IUU fish disruption Norway participates as a member of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), and as an observer at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Norway participates in the work of ICES through collaborative research programmes such as stock assessment working groups, and in NEAFC and NAFO at a management level. 6

7 LICENCES & PERMITS Technically, there is still open access to Norwegian fisheries for small fishing vessels using passive gear. In practice however, an increasing number of fisheries are regulated with access limited to vessels, or vessel owners, with historical track records. Licences represent a right to participate in a fishery. They are attached to a vessel and an owner and may only be sold with a vessel or transferred to a new vessel under the current owner after an application to the fishing authorities. In most restricted fisheries, the vessel owner has to be a full-time active fisherman to maintain the right to participate. In Norway it is necessary to have a record of active and professional fishing activity on a Norwegian fishing boat for at least three of the five previous years to buy a boat. When a company wishes to buy a vessel, at least 50 per cent of the boat owning company has to be owned by people who fulfil these requirements. Only offshore fishing vessels require fishing licences. Generally, coastal vessels, defined as being shorter than 28 metres in length, operating with conventional gear (nets, long lines, hand lines etc.) do not require a licence, but are regulated by permits. Licences are generally required for trawling and purse-seining fishing operations. The majority of the fleet, which are mainly coastal vessels, are regulated by permits. The Government established a fee payable on landings on 1 July The revenue is used in a decommissioning fund for home-based vessels under 15 metres with annual permits. There are also various levies on exporting fish and fish products, which are reinvested in the industry via marketing programmes. Licenses are issued by the Directorate of Fisheries. The divisions for cod in 2012 are as below. These figures are updated weekly by the Directorate of Fisheries. Landed catch cod, 2012 is divided up 67% conventional vs. 33% trawler Conventional is then broken down into size and type of boat 7

8 REGULATIONS Norwegian seafood is caught using a variety of catching methods and by different types and sizes of fishing vessels. From hand-line fishing, long-line fishing to Danish Seine fishing, gillnet fishing and trawling. All these methods are accepted as sustainable fishing methods. Each type of vessel will have a set of strict technical measures to adhere to. Technical measures are employed to reduce the impact of fishing on fish stocks and the environment. These include: Minimum fish and mesh sizes; Gear restrictions Discard ban Sorting grids Sorting Grids Vessels trawling for shrimp, and some cod trawlers, are required to use sorting devices, e.g. sorting grids. To address the problem of ghost fishing, the Norwegian fishing authorities are looking into programmes dealing with the removal of nets from fishing grounds. Closed seasons and areas Norway uses both closed seasons and closed areas within territorial waters. Fisheries are sometimes closed for one or more years at a time, allowing stocks to partially recover. Closed areas include a general trawling ban in areas where coral reefs, e.g. Lophelia banks, and similar structures are prevalent. Temporary closure area for trawlers 8

9 CONTROL, ENFORCEMENT & SANCTIONS Since 2000 all fishing vessels over 24 metres in length are required to have satellite tracking devices installed. The Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission stipulates an exchange of satellite data and the introduction of a system for license refusal in response to serious quota overruns. The Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) group was set up in cooperation with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in The MCS activities are aimed at ensuring fishing activities comply with national rules and regulations. Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and satellite communication are two examples of management options adopted by the MCS. The MCS use mobile units that monitor the catch in the Barents Sea and around Spitzbergen, especially shrimp fishing areas. Part of the scheme is to monitor the abundance of small fish in the catch. If it gets too high, then fishing in that area is immediately stopped. The fishing grounds are reopened only when catch composition has returned to acceptable levels, which may be a matter of days, weeks or months. Logbooks and sales notes are used to monitor catch and fishing activity. All vessels are subject to logbook provisions, while smaller vessels only require simplified versions. Sales notes are contracts between the fishermen and buyers, which indicate the percentage of quota reached. The fisheries regulations are enforced both at sea, when the fish is landed and when it is exported. At sea, the Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting fishing vessels and checking their catch against their log books. Cooperation between the affected states Controlling the fishing on shared fish stocks requires close cooperation between the affected states. See further information on page 6. Controls, enforcements and sanctions are carried out by: The Directorate of Fisheries The Coastguard Sales organisations Norges Råfisklag (whitefish) Norges Sildesalgslag (pelagic species) Sunnmøre og Romsdal Fiskesalslag Vest-Norges Fiskesalslag Rogaland Fiskesalgsalg Skagerakfisk Directorate of Fisheries The Directorate of Fisheries acts as the Ministry s advisory and executive body in matters pertaining to fishing and the management of aquaculture. The Directorate was founded in 1900, and its main goal is to promote profitable economic activity through sustainable and user-oriented management of marine resources and the marine environment. The Directorate of Fisheries inspects activities on the fishing grounds. Upon the landing of catches, the landings data are checked against the fishing rights of the vessel. This task is performed by the fish sales organisations and the Directorate of Fisheries. When irregularities are detected, at sea or on landing or through later controls, serious cases are referred to the courts. Other responsibilities include dealing with individual cases, providing guidance and conducting monitoring and auditing activities, including resource monitoring. 9

10 Ministry of Fisheries The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs acts as the secretariat to the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs and exercises its administrative authority through measures such as adoption and implementation of legislation and regulations. The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs is in charge of: the fisheries industry the aquaculture industry seafood safety and fish health and welfare ports, infrastructure for maritime transport and preparedness against acute pollution The Coastguard Both Norwegian and foreign fishing vessels are subject to stringent controls in all Norwegian fishing waters. The activity of the Coastguard is generally considered vital for the functioning of the management regime as a whole. The Coastguard performs around 1,800 inspections of Norwegian and the foreign vessels that fish in Norwegian waters annually. Vessels over 24 meters (15 meters for vessels from EU) are required to carry satellite transponders that makes it possible to track their activity 24 hours a day all around the year. In 2011 the Norwegian Coastguard patrolled an area equivalent to 19 trips around the equator. Together with The Directorate of Fisheries and the sales associations, the Coastguard is responsible for exercising resource control. The Coastguard is subordinated to the Ministry of Defence and one of its primary missions is to monitor the fisheries. The ocean areas subject to Norwegian fisheries jurisdiction and surveillance are six times bigger than the Norwegian mainland. On average, ocean-going trawlers fishing in Norwegian waters will find themselves inspected by the Coastguard three to four times a year, while the conventional vessels of the ocean-going fleet can expect to be visited once or twice a year. In 2011 the Coastguard: Carried out 1,715 inspections Issued 243 warnings Discovered 35 rule breaks The Coastguard s resource control is directed mainly at the Norwegian and foreign ocean-going fishing fleet. Around 70 percent of the Coast Guard s resources are used on inspections. Resource control has been directed largely at selected problem areas. Emphasis has been on checking that there is no fishing in areas that have been closed, and checking for illegal fishing in the border areas. Another important task is to ensure that catches are not reported from zones and areas other than where they were actually made. Cross-loading of fish from foreign fishing vessels to other vessels in the Barents Sea is a priority attention area. BOAT CLASS NUMBER OF BOATS BOAT NAMES 10

11 Fisherman s Sales Organisations Fisherman s sales organisations handle the first-hand sale of all marine species, except pelagic and farmed fish, from the fisherman to the fishing industry. They organise the raw-fish market and counter-balance the shifting market. The sales organisations were created in 1938 to manage the best interests of the fishermen Operating via a sales organisation is mandatory for all fishermen and is legislated by the Norwegian government They are owned by the fishermen through their unions operating like a cooperative Råfisklaget is the biggest organisation in Norway and handles the white fish delivered in its area (indicated in yellow on map). Norges Sildesalgslag handles the pelagic fish, and in addition there exist other regional organisations traceability. These organisations control sales, payment and resources. Their focus is to secure stocks ensuring sustainability through Sales organisations control their own regulations to secure equal terms of competition in the market and are audited to ensure standards are maintained. Norges Råfisklag - operating since 1938 currently manages: 4,365 vessels 185 production plants 70 landing points Minimum price They guarantee fisherman a minimum price for the catch with premiums paid against the landing of quality fish which ensures good handling of fish. They have an efficient registration and payment process. Secured payment Sales organisations secure payments for fisherman as it is the association that is paid by the auction buyer and the sales organisation that pays the fisherman so even if an auctioneer / processor goes bankrupt the fisherman will be paid. Controls Sales organisations work closely with other control organisations (Dir. of Fisheries; Coastguard, Food Safety Authority, Tax Administration) to ensure that quotas are adhered too. Sanctions/fines All fish landed are given a catch certificate, see below. Sales organisations control each vessel s quota through controls at the landing site, weighing and documentation. Where a fisherman exceeds his quota (as may happen at the end of the season) he is only paid 10% of the value of the over-quota fish. However, all fish that is landed is sold in the market - with the excess profit (after the fisherman receives his 10%) being put back into policing the fisheries. This way the fisherman only covers his costs and there is NO incentive for him to exceed his quota, However, should this happen repeatedly or be excessively over quota (indicating a deliberate act) then the fisherman will be fined or banned depending on the severity of the offence. 11

12 Catch Certificate Norway is one of the key countries pushing to eliminate IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing preventing IUU fish from entering the EU market. One of the key factors in Norway s successful pursuit of this goal is the use of catch certificates. In Norway, all first-hand fish trade with wild caught fish are by law (the raw fish act) managed by fishermen s sales associations (see above). In practice, the fishermen report their catches to the sales associations which then carry out the economic transactions on their behalf. During this process, a catch certificate/contract note is issued. The catch certificate displays where the fish is caught and that it is legally caught in accordance to all current regulations and quotas. It includes detailed information about the fishermen: vessel catch area catch equipment species, weights of fish trade information (seller, buyer, and price) The contract notes are regularly reported to the Norwegian fishing authorities, Directorate of Fisheries. In the case of landing of fish that has not been traded at the time of landing, a system of landing notes has been established that also report and check catches that temporarily are falling outside the contract note system. In a perfect legal and regulated system, all fish caught and landed are reported and can through the contract note/landing note systems, be certified to be legal, reported, and regulated. It is however possible in the fish chain to introduce IUU or black fish through the processing or distribution, so the fish appears legal or white. These issues will be discussed further below. The requirement for certification means that the whole fishing management and information regime from quota control to the end-sale point can be tracked and managed. More information about the Norwegian catch certificates, including electronic issuance and approval can be found on Black list of vessels After implementing the catch certificates IUU fishing has now almost vanished. The covert nature of such activities, involving flags of convenience, transhipments at the high seas, and landings in remote ports, necessitates cooperation among agencies in a number of countries in order to come to grips with it. All vessels on this part of the list are covered by measures including prohibition of landing, transshipment, delivery of supplies, delivery of services and access to port. Licence to operate in the Norwegian Exclusive Economic Grounds (EEZ) or the right to fly the flag of Norway, will not be granted to vessels on the list. Norway adopted a black list of vessels that had been engaged in IUU activities in Northeast Atlantic waters in 1994, and banned such vessels from fishing in Norwegian waters. The concept of a black list has later been adopted by several regional fisheries management organisations where Norway is a member (including the EU). The EU regulation came into force on 1 January The agreement between Norway and the EU means that Norway will issue a catch certificate for all Norwegian landings and export shipments to the EU. For all practice purposes this means that all catches by each and every one of the Norwegian vessels is registered and traceable through the system. Consequences of being listed: 12

13 Refusal of a licence to fish/ tranship in the Norwegian Economic Zone and the Fishery Zone around Jan Mayen Refusal of being registered as a fishing vessel under Norwegian flag. De-listing: There is no opportunity for de-listing. A denial of licence based on appearance on the list will consequently be perpetual 13

14 Timeline There is a long heritage of fishing in Norway, Stone Age rock carvings show images of fishing for halibut from skin boats and dried fish has been exported since to Europe since the 1300s The Institute of Marine Research is founded in Norway. The research institute plays a central role in the monitoring of fish stocks and the regulation of Norwegian fisheries. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries is established in the same year. First Norwegian marine research vessel Michael Sars sets sail Purse seine nets are used for the first time during winter herring fishing in Norway The fishing limit is set at four nautical miles The first trawling act is adopted and this slows down the development of Norwegian trawl fishing. In 1936, the Norwegian government passes a new trawling act which bans further development of the trawler fleet in Norway Despite major resistance, particularly from the cod fishing fleet in Lofoten, the number of motorised fishing vessels increases. Over the previous six years, the number of motorised vessels has risen from 2,500 to 6, During the economic crisis of the interwar years, there is a major price squeeze on all distributive trades and Norwegian fishermen start to organize themselves. The Norwegian Fishermen s Association is founded as the national trade union and political mouthpiece of Norwegian fishermen. In 1963, this organisation was recognised as the fishing industry s representative in negotiations with the government, and the General Agreement between the Norwegian government and the Norwegian Fishermen s Association is formed Modernisation of the fishing fleet continues. The purse seine fishing boat Signal III from Fister in Rogaland is the first Norwegian fishing vessel to use a sonar system to locate fish The Norwegian government introduces health insurance for fishermen, an important social reform The Norwegian government forms its shipping and fisheries committee. In 1993 this is abolished and, hereafter, issues concerning the fishing industry are handled by the Standing Committee on Business and Industry The Norwegian government passes the Raw Fish Act, a law that has probably had the most impact on the development of the Norwegian fishing industry. The Raw Fish Act gives fishermen a monopoly, through their own sales organization, on first sales of certain fish species within geographical areas. The purpose is to maintain the price the fishermen receive for the raw goods and ensure relatively uniform and stable prices along the coast of Norway Norway is the first country in the world to have a minister of fisheries. Reidar Carlsen of the Labour party takes up the new cabinet post. At the same time, a Ministry of Fisheries is formed. Up until now, the fisheries have been governed by a fisheries department in the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry. 14

15 1957 The boat Ola Ryggefjord from Havøysund is the first Norwegian vessel to use a power block or purse seine winch, a device which significantly increases the capacity of purse seine fishing The North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) is formed. This is one of several important forums for international cooperation concerning negotiations over shared resources The first factory trawler, M/TR Longva is built in Norway The quota system was first implemented, due to a dramatic decimation of herring stocks A 200 mile fisheries protection zone around Norway is introduced. Within this zone, Norway has exclusive rights to the extraction of natural resources The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is opened for signature. This international agreement regulates traffic and economic activity on the open seas, and the rights of coastal states to nearby maritime zones The system of closing and opening of fishing zones in the Norwegian and Barents Sea was introduced Norwegian fish stocks were in decline. Ban on fish discards introduced in Norway. The discard ban originally covered cod and haddock in the economic zone north of 62 N, but the ban has been gradually expanded so that today it is prohibited to discard most species of fish in Norwegian waters On 18 April 1989, cod fishing was brought to a halt, a decision that was followed by the imposition of fishing quotas on the coastal fleet. In the same year, the Norwegian Coastal Fishermen s Association was established with Steinar Friis as the organization s first leader Oddrun Pettersen becomes Norway s and Europe s first female minister of fisheries. She becomes known for her tough stance on fishing quotas with decisions aimed at saving the cod stock in the Barents Sea The Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC) is founded and replaces a number of earlier commissions. In 2012, the NSEC changes its name to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) Support of the fisheries sector is wound up as a result of the EEA agreement that was signed two years previously. In practice, the Norwegian fishing industry is subsidy-free from this point in time The Norwegian Seafood Federation is formed, bringing together the whole of the seafood sector under the same umbrella for the first time. 15

16 2009 Norway comes out best in a report in which the University of British Columbia, University of Rio Grande and Word Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) publish the results of research into the world s largest fishing nations and how well they comply with the UN regulations for responsible fishing, FAO Code of Conduct Norway receives acknowledgment of its commitment to sustainability when the final wild cod & haddock fisheries are certified as sustainable by the MSC Marks the 25 th anniversary of a total ban on fishing discards in Norway. It s been a long journey, and it s not over yet, but the health of fish stocks in Norwegian waters shows it is entirely possible to successfully introduce a ban on discard and enable the fishing industry to thrive, whilst positively managing the environment and fish populations alike. 16

17 THE PICTURE TODAY With abundant fish stocks in its clear, cold waters Norway manages the largest and most sustainable cod stock in the world and it s still growing. The catch quota for the North East Arctic Cod in the Barents Sea is 751,000 tonnes in 2012, of which 339,857 tonnes is the Norwegian quota. For over 20 years the Norwegian cod stock has been well managed, based on best available scientific advice Norway continuously strives to be a leading nation in sustainable fisheries management. The Norwegian cod fisheries are based on quotas in three different fishing areas, the Barents Sea, the North Sea and the Norwegian coast. The size of the different quotas varies significantly. Over 90% of the Norwegian cod lineages from the fish stock in The Barents Sea which is the largest cod stock in the world. Figure 1: Overview of the Norwegian cod quotas 2012 Fishing areas The Barents Sea (North East Arctic cod) Quotas tonnes 93 % of total catch of cod Norwegian coast (Coastal cod) The North Sea tonnes 6 % of total catch of cod tonnes 1 % of total catch of cod Total Norwegian cod quotas tonnes 17

18 Norway October 2008 Management and Technical Measures in the Norwegian Cod and Groundfish Fisheries Excerpt from preface by Nina Jensen, WWF- The Barents Sea holds the largest cod stock in the world. The fishery is defined by ICES as having full reproductive capacity and to be harvested sustainably. Compared with other groundfish fisheries around the world, the management and the regulatory measures in the Norwegian fisheries have over the years shown that it can ensure a relatively robust and rational management. Commercially important species such as saithe, cod and haddock have spawning stock biomasses well over critical levels, and thereby also provides a reasonable stability for the fishing industry. WWF would especially like to highlight the total discard ban, closures of areas with juvenile fish, the use of sorting grids and a relatively large minimum catch size. These are practical measures with a proven positive effect that could be adopted by any other fishery. The procedure of closing sensitive areas has probably contributed substantially to the recovery of cod and haddock in the Barents Sea, and is today regarded as the single most important technical measure in this process. In 2006, WWF started the organisations global Bycatch Initiative where recovering and rebuilding of cod stocks is one of the three long-term goals. Examples from management measures in the Norwegian cod and groundfish fisheries can hopefully provide good technical and management solutions for other fisheries facing significant challenges in rebuilding cod stocks. 18

19 ENDORSEMENTS & CERTIFICATION With abundant fish stocks in its clear, cold waters Norway manages the largest and most sustainable cod stock in the world and it s still growing. The catch quota for the North East Arctic Cod in the Barents Sea is 751,000 tonnes in 2012, of which 339,857 tonnes is the Norwegian quota. For over 20 years the Norwegian cod stock has been well managed, based on best available scientific advice Norway continuously strives to be a leading nation in sustainable fisheries management. Norway has a long tradition of managing its fisheries in harmony with nature and is internationally regarded as the world leader in sustainable fisheries management. In an independent survey in 2007 Norway was ranked number one for its fishing practices, against the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. And as well as enjoying the support of World Wildlife Fund, many species of Norwegian seafood are Marine Stewardship Council and Friends of the Sea certified. MSC The Marine Stewardship Council's fishery certification program and seafood ecolabel recognises and reward sustainable fishing. Working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public they promote the best environmental choice in seafood. Their credible standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability seek to increase the availability of certified sustainable seafood. Norway has the highest proportion of MSC certified fisheries in the world - a total of 73.6% of all wild fish caught and exported from Norway is now certified. COLD WATER PRAWNS MSC CERTIFICATION Norway received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its cold water prawns (Pandalus borealis) from the Barents Sea in March Norway s total catch in 2011 was 2,288,600 tonnes and this equates to 1,660,000 million tonnes of MSC certified seafood being exported every year. 80% of all Norwegian cold water prawns have an MSC certification. It is only the second country in the world, after Canada, to receive MSC certification for cold water prawns, demonstrating its commitment and leadership in the sustainable prawn fishing industry. COD/HADDOCK MSC CERTIFICATION All Norwegian cod and haddock certified sustainable by MSC Norway manages the largest sustainable cod stock in the world. The cod stock in the Barents Sea, where Norway captures about 93% of all its cod, is strong and the stock is growing The catch quota for the North East Arctic Cod in the Barents Sea is 751,000 tonnes in 2012, of which 339,857 tonnes is the Norwegian quota. The catch quota for haddock is MT, of which is the Norwegian quota. Other species with MSC certification Norwegian saithe from the North Sea Norwegian North-eastern Arctic saithe Norwegian North Sea herring Norwegian spring spawning herring 19

20 WWF Bycatch Initiative Report (WWF - Norway October 2008) A report from WWF in 2008 provided a detailed description of management and specific measures in the Norwegian cod and groundfish fisheries, with the added intention to promote these as solutions for other cod and groundfish fisheries. The report concluded that: The Norwegian groundfish fisheries management system is significantly better than other similar fisheries in the Atlantic. The Barents Sea (which accounts for 93% of Norwegian Cod catches) has the largest cod stock in the world - the fishery is defined by International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as having full reproductive capacity and can be harvested sustainably. Compared with other groundfish fisheries around the world, the management and the regulatory measures in the Norwegian fisheries have over the years shown that it can ensure a relatively robust and rational management. Commercially important species such as, cod and haddock have spawning stock biomasses well over critical levels, and thereby also provides a reasonable stability for the fishing industry. WWF would especially like to highlight the practical measures employed by Norway that have a proven positive effect and could be adopted by any other fishery: A total discard ban (unlike other countries Norway does not permit any seafood discard) Closures of areas with juvenile fish The use of sorting grids and a relatively large minimum catch size The procedure of closing sensitive areas has probably contributed substantially to the recovery of cod and haddock in the Barents Sea, and is today regarded as the single most important technical measure in this process Friend of the Sea is a non-profit non-government organisation (NGO), whose mission is to conserve the marine habitat. Friend of the Sea is now a main international certification project for products originating from both sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Awarded to: Norwegian prawns KRAV is a key player in the organic market in Sweden. They develop organic standards and promote the KRAV-label. The KRAV-label stands for: Sound, natural environment Solid care for animals Good health Social responsibility Awarded to: Norwegian cod in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea Norwegian haddock in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea Norwegian prawns in the Barents Sea Norwegian saithe in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea (line fishing beyond 12 nm) Norwegian spring spawning herring (ring net fishery in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea) United Nations In 2007 an independent research institute and think-tank carried out a survey of the ways in which fishing nations are dealing with the challenges presented by illegal fishing and unregistered and unreported fish, as well as the UN s rules of governance pertaining to responsible fishing practice (the FAO Code of Conduct). This detailed analysis concluded that Norway is a world leader in fishing management. In assessing the extent to which different countries are acting in accordance with the UN s Code of Conduct for responsible fishing management, Norway ranks top followed by the USA, Canada, Australia and Iceland. 20

21 COLLABORATION WITH WWF The NSC and WWF Norway have joined forces to tell the story of sustainable Norwegian seafood. On 3rd May 2011 Karoline Andaur, the head of WWF Norway's marine program and Merete N. Kristiansen, the NSEC's marketing director, signed a three-year contract that will focus mainly on communication and dialogue around sustainable Norwegian seafood. This gives the NSC a formalised dialogue with an important player in the debate around sustainable seafood, and a player who exerts a great deal of influence on consumers' opinion of Norwegian seafood, particularly in the European market. At the same time, WWF Norway gets a dialogue partner that is also a point of contact into the entire Norwegian seafood industry, explains NSC s director of communication, Christian Chramer. The contract was entered into during the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels, where the NSC and WWF met to formalise their collaboration. WWF Norway is very happy to enter into this agreement with the NSC. We hope that the collaboration will contribute to increased knowledge of, and focus on, sustainable seafood, and to increased awareness of the fantastic natural wealth in the seas. If the seafood industry is to be a value-creating industry in the future, it is vital that it is managed sustainably. Knowledge is one of the decisive keys for ensuring this, says Nina Jensen, head of the conservation department at WWF Norway. Communicates sustainability The collaboration between the NSC and WWF Norway will run along two main lines. One is communication about sustainable seafood from Norway. "This does not mean that either of the parties will control what the other thinks or says. We do, however, often see that we can reinforce each others' message when we work together to clarify the good examples from Norwegian fisheries management," says Chramer. As an example of this, Chramer mentions the WWF's announcement that cod from the Barents Sea is among the world's best managed cod species. This helps to promote this raw material in new markets. Exchanging information The other important part of this agreement is that the NSC and WWF Norway will exchange information about the work for sustainable management of the Norwegian fishery resources. The NSC represents an industry that is open and transparent about its environmental efforts, and WWF Norway is a constructive environmental organisation with professional clout within the sustainability area. For those reasons, both can see the benefits of an open and productive dialogue about seafood and the environment, says Chramer. 21

22 INTERVIEWS / COMMENT Johan Kvalheim Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council for the UK and France About NSC In Norway the tradition of fishing goes back thousands of year - today, Norway is one of the world s three leading exporters of seafood products. Norwegian fish and seafood are of superior quality, excellent for health and appreciated by consumers around the world. The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) is a Norwegian agency with headquarters in Tromsø, Norway, 600 km north of the Arctic Circle. The NSC was created by the Norwegian Minister of Fishing in 1991 in order to promote Norwegian seafood products throughout the world. Its activities are financed by the fishing and aquaculture sector via a fee levied on seafood exports. NSC is a public company owned by the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. The General Assembly is formed by the Minister for Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, who appoints the Board of Directors for a period of two years at a time. NSC is financed by the Norwegian Seafood industry from fees levied on all exports of Norwegian Seafood. Ministry of Fisheries State secretary - Kristine Gramstad WWF Karoline Andour Head of Norway WWF 22

23 ENDS Supporting documents available on request Barents Sea / WWF press release More cod in the Barents Sea than there has been for decades! NSEC and WWF Norway in environmental collaboration WWF Norwegian cod fishery report Sources