Faroe/Russian fishery agreement renewed

Only minor changes were made in the fishery agreement between the Faroes and Russia for 2020, according to the Faroese Ministry of Fisheries.

Negotiations were marked by a strong Russian wish to significantly reduce the Faroese prawn quota in Russian waters, as Russians have increased their prawn fishery in the Barents Sea in recent years and want to secure a larger share of the overall quota to themselves.

The result of the negotiations was that the prawn quota for Faroese ships was reduced from 5,000 tonnes this year to 4,500 tonnes next year, with the possibility of adding another 500 tonnes to the Faroese prawn quota later.

More blue whiting for Russian ships

Russia’s blue whiting quota in Faroese waters will be increased by 1,000 tonnes next year, from 81,000 to 82,000 tonnes.

All other quotas for both nations will remain unchanged next year.

Digital notifications

Russian and Faroese authorities have spent the past year working towards a deal on digital fishing notifications like the ones that the Faroes have made with Norway and Iceland.

This deal is now in place, and the system has been implemented on a trial basis. 

It is believed that a digital fishing notification system will ensure smoother communications between inspection authorities and fishing ships from the two nations.

Translated by prosa.fo