The cod quota in the north is at its lowest since 2008 (see the figure below). – The less raw material, the greater the competition, says director Stine Akselsen of Sjømat Norge. She leads the organisation’s specialist area of industry and commerce. – This fish is going to a market, and it is the market that ultimately determines the price, she says. – The less raw material, the greater the competition, says director Stine Akselsen of Sjømat Norge. Photo: STIAN STRØM Weak Norwegian krone The Norwegian cod quota in the north has been halved over the past ten years, while the price paid to the fishermen has quadrupled in the same period. 95 percent of Norwegian food from the sea is exported. This also applies to cod. Last week there were reports of another peak year for exports. Akselsen says the weak krone exchange rate is an important reason for that. – The value is high thanks to the weakened Norwegian krone against the most important currencies with which we trade, she says. As a rule, the fish is sold in dollars or euros. It is the Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission that set the cod quotas in the north. Ten years ago, the Norwegian share was approximately 445,000 tonnes. Then the fishermen received between NOK 13 and 14 per kilo of cod, shows an overview from Norway’s Raw Fish Association. This year, Norwegian fishermen can take approximately 205,000 tonnes. Well-paid skrei After the New Year, some fish receptions have paid NOK 65 per kilo of cod, almost NOK 20 more than the average price last year – and almost twice as much as the minimum price agreed by Norway’s Raw Fish Association and Seafood Norway before Christmas. Fish buyer Svein Vegard Lyder is one of those who pay well. He explains that the skrei, i.e. cod from the Barents Sea on its way to the spawning ground on the coast of northern Norway, is an attractive product. – It is well paid in the market, and we want to share the income with the fishermen in the good times. I think that is also needed in the coming year – that one tries to extract what is possible to extract. Svein Vegar Lyder lives in Dyfjord in Lebesby municipality. Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / news The price fell later in the year Fresh skrei with accessories, that is liver and roe, is a well-paid seasonal product. Later in the year, prices usually fell somewhat. That is why Lyder is excited about the year ahead. – There is a lack of money out there. He adds that his foreign customers probably do not have the financial buffers they had previously. – In that sense, it is a tough value. Quotas on the way down and a strong krone mean that the future does not look good. Both small and large fishing vessels have had good incomes in recent years, despite smaller quotas. Photo: Gunnar Sætra / news Prices have compensated for quota reduction Despite the fact that the cod quotas in the north have been steadily decreasing in recent years, this has not led to unrest in the industry. Managing director Svein Ove Haugland of the Norwegian Raw Fish Association explains it with good prices. – The big picture shows that the market has been strong and good during the period. In addition, the Norwegian krone has weakened throughout the period from 2013 to this year. It is also a strong driving force for good fish prices. That may change. – We know that it is an expensive time in the markets and tougher priorities for consumers, Haugland continued. It probably affects what people put in their shopping baskets when they go to buy dinner. Currency changes can also affect consumers’ shopping patterns quite quickly. – Then, among other things, it will affect the price that the fishermen get for their catches, summarizes Haugland. Despite the fact that the cod quotas in the north have gone down steadily in recent years, this has not led to unrest in the industry. Managing director Svein Ove Haugland of the Norwegian Raw Fish Association explains it with good prices. Photo: Norway’s Raw Fish Association Must expect fluctuations There is a battle for more species than cod. In Eastern Finnmark, this applies primarily to king crab. The quota has more than halved from last year to this year. Fish buyer Lyder is sure that the prices for crab, cod and other species will not compensate for the reduction in quotas in the future. – Recently, there has been more awareness of what is happening. There are many young people in the industry who have no experience of this. Those of us who are a little older have experienced it. The downturns were more common in the past. It was tougher, and the swings were harder and tighter than now. Skrei fishing ensures the fishermen a good income. Photo: Gunnar Sætra / news Lyder states that the fishing industry has a long upswing behind it. – The younger generation grows up in an eternal upswing. Then one thinks that this is how it should be. He states that the industry is heading towards a more normal situation where the fishermen do not get the same large lots (=the fishermen’s form of pay) as in recent years. – You would like to be at sea more to manage to create a decent lot for the year, he concludes.
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Battle for the cod brings record high prices – news Troms and Finnmark
