On 18 January 2007, the EU, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway and Russia concluded an agreement on the management of the Norwegian spring-spawning herring fish stock. Norway has been allocated 61% of the total allowable catch (TAC) for the herring stock, which gives Norway a quota of 780 800 tonnes for 2007.

The Norwegian spring-spawning herring stock is the largest fish stock in the North Atlantic. With the new five-party agreement, catches of all the main fish stocks in Norwegian waters are now regulated.

“The new allocation formula gives Norway the largest share of the TAC it has been awarded since the five-party management regime for Norwegian spring-spawning herring was introduced in 1996,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“Norway has primarily been concerned about putting in place a sound, sustainable regime for managing this important resource. Norway has played a leading and responsible role in this work,” said Mr Støre.

The five-party agreement that has now been concluded is a new step forward in cooperation on the management of fish stocks in the North-East Atlantic. This cooperation also involves efforts to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU fishing). The new agreement is an important tool in these efforts and shows what can be achieved when coastal states are willing to enter into binding cooperation on a sustainable management regime that takes account of the economic interests of all parties concerned.

Press contact: Ambassador Per Ludvig Magnus, tel.: + 34 676 532 531

Background documents

1. Agreed record of conclusions of fisheries consultations on the management of the Norwegian Spring spawning (atlanto-scandian) herring stock in the north-east Atlantic for 2007
2. Annex I
3. Annex II
4. Arrangement between Iceland and Norway
5. Arrangement between Norway and the Russian Federation
6. Arrangement between Iceland and the Russian Federation Access to the Icelandic Economic Zone in 2007
7. Russian Federation access in the Faroese Fishery Zone
8. Arrangement between the European Community and Norway
9. Arrangement between the Faroe Islands and Norway