The port ban for Russian fishing vessels comes into force on Friday. But three ports have exceptions: Tromsø, Kirkenes and Båtsfjord. These are also the three ports where 90 percent of the reception from Russian vessels takes place, according to Norway’s Raw Fish Association. According to the crew of a Russian trawler docked in Tromsø, the port ban will have no consequences for them. – There is no major problem for us. Three ports are enough. We usually use Tromsø, says a crew member. news met the crew on board a Russian fishing vessel in Tromsø. They did not want to come forward with their name and picture. Photo: Håkon Iversen / news – So the port ban doesn’t affect you? – For us, it really makes no difference at all. Next week the crew hopes to sail up to Spitsbergen to do fishing there, he says. He says that the customs service was on board last week and carried out an inspection. Liberals with scathing criticism Liberals are among those who have been critical of the exemptions since the government’s press conference last week. – What the government is doing is purely symbolic politics with very little practical significance, says Norwegian representative Alfred Bjørlo to news. – They have not done what they said they were supposed to do, namely to show muscle against Putin’s war machine. Alfred Bjørlo represents the Liberal Party in the Storting, and will attend the party’s national meeting this weekend. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB Bjørlo believes that the government’s exemptions in the three ports make the port ban a game for the gallery. The government has constantly pointed to the important fisheries cooperation with Russia as part of the background for their actions. Together with Russia, Norway manages the world’s largest cod stock in the Barents Sea. Fisheries cooperation between Norway and Russia Norway and Russia have fisheries cooperation that stretches back to the mid-1970s. Today, this means that the countries together agree on quotas, i.e. how much fish the two countries can catch. The goal is sustainable fishing. The countries also cooperate on research and control in the fishing industry. The agreement also states that Russian fishermen can fish in Norwegian areas. An important justification is that a more even harvest of fish in the Barents Sea is more sustainable. Russian boats can also deliver fish to Norway. It is secret how the Russians distribute the quotas between their shipping companies. There is far more fishing in the Norwegian zone than in the Russian zone. Some of the best cod areas in the world can be found in the Norwegian economic zone. While the cod breeds in the Russian zone, it swims over to the Norwegian zone before becoming a mature fish. – We believe that these are two completely independent cases. The fisheries administration has nothing to do with trade. It is the government that has chosen to mix these matters, and it is completely unnecessary, believes Bjørlo. Now he and the Liberal Party believe that the government must align itself with the EU, and not adhere to its own regulations in the matter. – Different interests within the government Senior researcher at Fridtjof Nansen’s Institute Geir Hønneland has followed the case for a long time. – Even if this has nothing to do with the administration, there may be something in the situation that makes Russia want to grasp it as an unfriendly act from Norway. Then they can throw it forward as a card to use against Norway. Hønneland believes this is the main reason why Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) has not gone so far as to close the ports completely. senior researcher at Fridtjof Nansen’s Institute Geir Hønneland believes that there have been different interests within the government. Photo: Mathias Hamre / news – I also think there has been considerable pressure from other parts of the government. From the defense side, where they have wanted to close the ports, while the fishing side has not wanted this. This, in addition to the political opposition, such as the Liberal Party in this case, makes the situation complicated for the government, Hønneland believes. – Many people probably find it difficult to understand why Russian ships should be able to enter Norwegian ports at all, he says and continues: – The government probably has its reasons for not closing the ports completely. My assumption is that it is connected with fisheries cooperation. – The port ban has basically nothing to do with fisheries cooperation. I think people are afraid that closing the ports could make Russia respond, without knowing how. news has made both the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aware of the criticism from the Left. They have not yet responded. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt has previously commented on the case as follows: – We have always been aware that legal activity in Norway can be misused for illegal purposes. This applies to both this exception and other things in Norway. Now it is important to make austerity measures. Among other things, we see that the sanctions are working, and the Russians are finding it increasingly difficult to access the rest of Europe, which can make it more attractive to use Norwegian ports. She says the goal is to have better control over the activity that is. Foreign Minister Huitfeldt says the Nord Stream sabotage is one of the reasons for the measure. – It is part of an overall assessment, where this is an element that is included. The Russian fishing trawler has been in Tromsø since the beginning of September for repairs to the engine. Next week it will go out to sea again. Photo: Knut Anders Finnset / news
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