The NSC set the 2013 quota at 1 million metric tons (MT), the highest ever set for cod in the Barents Sea. The new quota represents an increase of 249,000 MT (33 percent) from 2012. Norway owns 446,749 MT of the quota, or 44.7 percent.
“The increase and decrease in our cod quotas is evidence that our integrated management of marine resources is working,” said Karin Olsen, U.S. Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. “As Norwegians, we grow up with a deep appreciation for our coastal traditions. Our focus is always long-term and as fish stock levels fluctuate from year to year, it is customary that our quotas adjust to reflect these levels accordingly.”
The joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission sets the quota, based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The quota increase is partly due to efforts by the NSC to maintain a sustainable cod stock.
