Overfishing reduced by 84%

“Once again, overfishing of cod in the Barents Sea has been substantially reduced in 2008. This means that unreported fishing has been reduced by as much as 84% from 2005 to 2008 and that resources to the value of 1.1 billion kroner are now benefiting the coastal communities,” says Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen.

“Based on detailed analysis carried out by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, overfishing of cod amounted to about 100,000 tonnes every single year from 2002 to 2005. This put enormous pressure on fish stocks, the fishing industry and the communities along the coast that depend on fishing. Reducing overfishing of cod to 15 000 tonnes in 2008 is therefore a victory for the environment and also has great significance for the economy and for employment  along the coast. I would like to heartily thank everyone both in Norway and in collaborating countries who has contributed to this result,” says Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen.

On Wednesday 27 May, Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen received WWF’s Leaders for a Living Planet award for the part she has played in promoting responsible and sustainable fisheries. WWF comments particularly on the important contribution that has been made by reducing overfishing of the vital cod stocks in the Barents Sea. “The work of developing further measures to combat black fishing is continuing with undiminished strength. Black fishing in the Barents Sea is part of organised, international financial crime that appears to embrace corruption, tax evasion and the use of tax havens to conceal income and the identity of those involved,” said Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen in her speech to WWF’s international annual meeting in Copenhagen.

She also presented a report on the trading flow of white fish to and from Asia which indicates that systematic black fishing is a transnational crime. The report has been prepared by Gunnar Album of Friends of the Earth Norway, in collaboration with WWF.

• Status report for 2008 Russian catches of north east arctic cod and haddock (The Norwegian Director General of Fisheries)
• Survey of the trade flow in the fisheries sector in Asia (Report 2009)