The European Union and Norway have reached new agreements for managing shared fish stocks and granting mutual access to waters for the 2026 fishing season.
Key elements of the deal include the EU receiving 9,144 tonnes of Arctic cod and transferring 47,905 tonnes of blue whiting to Norway, the European Commission announced on Friday.
The arrangements also secure continued access for EU fleets to Norwegian waters, including the North Sea and the Skagerrak — a strait between Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
Both sides reaffirmed stable reciprocal access to their respective waters, allowing fishing activity by EU and Norwegian vessels to continue in crucial areas, a statement showed.
The Swedish fishing sector retains access to Norwegian waters of the North Sea under the new agreement.
Catch limits agreed and herring measures extended
Catch limits have been set for several key species in the Skagerrak, including cod, haddock, plaice and whiting, the Commission noted.
The two parties also agreed to maintain restrictions on herring catches in the Skagerrak to aid the recovery of the western Baltic herring stock, which is known to mix with North Sea herring.
EU and Norwegian representatives also began discussing updates to systems for monitoring, controlling, and tracking fishing activity, with the goal of improving cooperation.
The new quotas and limits will be included in the EU's fishing regulations for 2026, following the conclusion of these negotiations.
