The Russian invasion of Ukraine led to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) excluding Russia from the council.
– ICES Council of Delegates voted to suspend all delegates, members and experts from Russia from participating in ICES activities, writes Council in a statement.
The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas is made up of 20 member states, including Norway, which is an advisory body to the fisheries management of these countries.
Every year, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas advises on quotas for the most important fish stocks, but at the end of the day it is the authorities in different countries who set the quotas in their marine areas.
Norway also does, among other things, cod in the Barents Sea in cooperation with Russia in particular.
– It could have consequences
Leader Kåre Heggebø of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association says they are excited about the consequences for important cooperation with the Russians.
– It’s too early to conclude here, but it may have consequences for cooperation. We fear anything that could negatively affect the cod stock, he tells NRK.
Together, Norway and Russia have managed to manage the cod stock and distribute the rations between them so that both countries can reap the benefits in a sustainable way.
This year, the joint cod share amounted to 708,480 tons. Norway’s share is 321,605 tons.
The two countries were the first to introduce the quota system for shares of cod common in the world.
As a result, the cod stock is today one of the largest and most powerful in the world.
Since 1958, scholars from the two countries have met annually to discuss topics, plan cruises, and joint conferences and meetings. In 1965, the researchers went on their first joint flight.
The situation must be dealt with
Geir Huse is Director of Research at the Institute of Naval Research, and one of the Norwegian delegates to the ICES Council.
– It is sad, of course, that we are in this situation, but these are the facts that we must deal with, he says in a statement on Department websites.
To NRK, Huse said Norway’s starting point is that cooperation with the Russians will continue.
– In the long term, we hope that we can continue to have good cooperation, and that the sanctions will be short-term.
– We can use what has been collected by the data so far, so hopefully we can continue to do so on a binary level. It must be possible. Norway’s position is that we should continue our fishing cooperation with Russia.
But he also says that it is unfortunate that the Russians now cannot contribute as well as before.
– The result is that the quotas that we are preparing with Russia, especially with regard to the stocks of the Barents Sea, the Russians will not be able to contribute to, and this is very unfortunate. Then we are not sure how Russia will participate.
ICES notes that a number of member states have already directed researchers and their representatives to boycott Russia, or to refrain from engaging in activities in which representatives from Russia attend.
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