Norwegian government to consult on quotas. The Norwegian government will prepare a new quota report and send four key topics for consultation.
This is stated in a press release. The Labour Party and the Centre Party announced in the Hurdal Platform that the government will prepare a new quota report that provides predictability for the fishing industry, and which ensures settlement, activity and profitability along the entire coast. The consultation that is now being sent out concerns four key topics in the forthcoming quota report.
-“Fish in the sea is the property of the community and now we are laying the foundation for a new and fair direction in fisheries policy. The fishing industry will provide increased activity, greater value creation and more year-round jobs in local communities along the entire coast, in addition to good income opportunities in all fleet groups, “says Minister of Fisheries and Marine Affairs Bjørnar Skjæran (Labour), and adds:
“To succeed with that, I will cooperate well with both the organisations in the fishing industry and the fishing-dependent coastal communities.”
The Minister believes that broad support in the industry is necessary as a clear signal to the Storting, if one is to achieve predictability that provides an opportunity to further develop the entire industry.
“The previous government spent six years presenting a quota report that neither gathered broad support nor provided the necessary clarifications for the industry. If the industry is to have the opportunity to develop, a good process is needed, and therefore I hope many will use the opportunity to give a well-worked answer to the consultation,” says Skjæran.
Consultation
The consultation that is being broadcast now concerns four key topics:
– Framework conditions for the smallest coastal fishing fleet
– Group division in the coastal fishing fleet and relevant size
restrictions – Distribution of structural gain from expired time limit in the structural
quota scheme – Quota distribution for Northeast Arctic cod and NVG herring
New quota
report The forthcoming quota report will address several aspects of the importance of fisheries to coastal communities. The consultation will not be limited to which topics may be addressed in the final message. For example, several proposals have already been consulted, such as restrictions on ownership in the coastal fleet, new main regulations on fishing permits and quota factors, in addition to the processing committee’s recommendation.
Reference group
In the work so far, the most important topics for a new quota announcement have been discussed in a reference group. The group is broadly composed, and consists of ten members appointed from the industry and the Sami Parliament and four with a background in research and administration.
2The reference group has worked well and discussed itself through various proposals for solutions within the four main topics, but now it is crucial that we get these discussions for consultation, so that all stakeholders are heard,” says Skjæran.
Open consultation
The notes present various alternatives for resolving the key issues. The Ministry asks the public for input on each of the four consultation notes.
The purpose of a broad consultation memorandum outlining several possible solutions is to put in place a good decision memorandum that facilitates a subsequent political consideration and a good decision-making process.