How is the Norwegian Fisheries Management organised?

The Norwegian fisheries management system is overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries, with the Directorate of Fisheries serving as its advisory and executive body. The Directorate’s main office is in Bergen, supported by multiple regional offices along the coast, employing a total of 420 people.

Norway is Europe's largest fisheries nation and ranks as the ninth-largest globally. In 2023, Norway exported wild-caught fish and fishery products worth 43 billion Norwegian kroner, setting a new record.

The Norwegian Fisheries Monitoring Center (FMC), also based in Bergen, operates as the Directorate’s 24-hour monitoring hub. It oversees vessel movements and reporting by both Norwegian and foreign fishing vessels. 

The FMC monitors:

• Position messages (VMS) and catch/activity reports (ERS) from Norwegian and foreign fishing vessels.
• Quota control messages from Russian fishing vessels.

The FMC also manages the Port State role. It authorizes the landing of catches by foreign vessels in Norwegian ports and represents the Flag State for Norwegian vessels landing catches in foreign ports. This involves verifying compliance with quotas, permits, and reporting requirements before final authorization by the relevant port state authority.

The Norwegian Coast Guard also plays a critical role in fisheries management. Subordinated to the Ministry of Defense, the Coast Guard is responsible for monitoring, controlling, investigating, and enforcing fisheries legislation. Its activities ensure compliance with fisheries laws through monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS).

The Marine Resources Act

The Marine Resources Act provides a comprehensive legal framework for managing living marine resources. It regulates fishing activities, including:

• Quotas and catch limits.
• Harvesting methods and resource utilization.
• Control measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Participation Act

The Participation Act governs the right to engage in commercial fishing and hunting using Norwegian vessels. By requiring permits, it ensures that fishing fleet capacity aligns with sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

Fishermen's Sales Organisations

Norwegian fishermen's sales organisations oversee all first-hand sales of fish. These six government-approved organisations have delegated public authority to:

• Register landed fish.
• Conduct inspections.
• Collaborate with other control authorities on MCS activities.

Regulations for Foreign Vessels

Foreign vessels conducting fishing activities in waters under Norwegian jurisdiction must comply with official regulations. Although the Directorate of Fisheries currently does not provide English translations of these regulations, a comprehensive list is available in Norwegian on our Norwegian website.

Norway is committed to international frameworks for fisheries governance, as a party to treaties like UNCLOS, UNFSA, PSMA, and the FAO Compliance Agreement. Norway also adheres to decisions made by regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), including:

• CCAMLR (Antarctic).
• ICCAT (Atlantic tuna).
• NAFO (Northwest Atlantic).
• NEAFC (Northeast Atlantic).
• SEAFO (Southeast Atlantic).

These RFMOs impose obligations on Norway as a flag state, requiring rigorous compliance with control measures.

Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements

Norway engages in annual bilateral and multilateral negotiations with other countries to:

• Manage and conserve shared fish stocks.
• Agree on mutual fishing rights and quotas.
• Grant unilateral permits for fishing within Norwegian jurisdictions.