– It is quite clear that the government has been under considerable pressure to make changes to the current system. That’s what research professor Geir Hønneland at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute says about the government’s decision to limit Russian fishing vessels to three Norwegian ports. In addition, the Norwegian Customs Board will intensify the control of Russian vessels. Norway has so far been the only country in Europe that has let in Russian fishing vessels. The government has justified this with regard to Norwegian-Russian fisheries management. But according to Hønneland, Russian fishing boats do not have the right to land their catch in Norway through the fisheries agreement. – No, it is not part of the fisheries policy agreement complex between Norway and Russia. That is a separate issue, says Hønneland. He explains that the Norwegian-Russian cooperation is based on two agreements from 1975 and 1976. One is to establish a fisheries commission that determines fishing quotas and distribution. The second is to give each other’s boats access to fish in their economic zones. Tore Henriksen, who is professor of maritime law at UiT, is even clearer. – Norway has no legal obligations to allow Russian boats to land catches in Norway. Geir Hønneland has main expertise in maritime law and international maritime policy. He is a research professor at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute. Photo: Mathias Hamre / news Would be reluctant to ban Earlier this week, news informed the Ministry of Industry and Fisheries of the information that there were no obligations in the fisheries agreement. Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran was asked why this was then used as an argument for allowing Russian fishing vessels to dock in Norwegian ports. Then Skjæran replied that a main priority for Norway was to ensure sustainable fisheries management in the Barents Sea. – We must therefore be restrained in making decisions that endanger fisheries cooperation with Russia and sustainable fisheries management. This is the reason why Russian fishing vessels are still allowed to go to Norwegian ports. Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) says it is a fundamental Norwegian interest to protect fisheries cooperation. Photo: Malin Nygård Solberg / news During the press conference on Thursday, news asked the fisheries minister whether Norway is legally obliged to release Russian fishing vessels to Norwegian ports. – There is no direct connection between the fence about fisheries cooperation and the exception from the port ban, but it is nevertheless connected. It is a fundamental Norwegian interest to protect fisheries cooperation. It ensures sustainable management of the fish stocks in the Barents Sea, said Bjørnar Skjæran. – Intermediate solution Hønneland believes that the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries has not wanted to close the ports, while other parts of the administration have probably wanted this. – An intermediate solution has then been chosen, i.e. closing in general but keeping three ports open. During today’s press conference, Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) made it clear that fisheries cooperation with Russia will continue despite the restrictions. Guri Melby, leader of the Liberal Party, thinks it is good that the experts confirm what the Liberal Party has been saying all along. – There is nothing legal that prevents us from saying that these super trawlers are not allowed to come ashore with their fish, in our ports. She believes it is about a political priority, and that it is paradoxical that Russia closed the ports to Norwegian fishing vessels in 2014. – If closing the ports is a breach of the fisheries agreements, then Russia broke them eight years ago. Guri Melby has for a long time been critical of Russian fishing vessels being able to dock in Norway after the outbreak of war. Photo: Torstein Bøe
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Experts believe Norway has no legal obligation to give Russian boats port access – news Troms and Finnmark
