The main objective of the district quotas is that fish processing plants in exposed districts shall get more cod in autumn, which will contribute to securing employment in these areas.
Cod must be delivered fresh and the purchaser must process the raw material.
There has been much debate about the arrangement and several fishing industry representatives believe the entire project should be discontinued. Nofima (formerly Fiskeriforskning) has followed the quota arrangement closely.
What controls the fishing operation?
Experience shows that it is difficult to change the fishing operation, which is controlled mostly by availability, weather and profitability.
The best means for moving the fishery from winter to autumn is bad weather and availability in winter combined with lower fish prices. However, the situation in 2007 was not like this. The weather was good, large amounts of excellent cod were easily accessible near the cost and cod prices were exceptional.
In addition, many of the fishing boats best suited for autumn cod fishing had herring quotas to fish in autumn.
"When weather, availability, cod prices and profitability in alternative operations are such, winter cod fisheries become popular," says Nofima Scientist Øystein Hermansen.
More popular
"One of the major differences between 2006 and 2007 was that significantly more boats participated in 2007," says Hermansen.
"In 2007, the better availability and weather in winter meant the smallest boats took their ordinary quotas early in the year and, as such, interest in the district quotas increased."
During autumn, the fishing boats received increased quotas, more boats were admitted and zones were abolished. However, in the end trawlers with freezing capacity gained permission to freeze part of their district quota onboard.
Little effect
Although the arrangement was popular among the fishermen, analysis shows it had a relatively small effect. This relates in part to the fact that only around 3500 tonnes of cod is taken.
The county councils are struggling with the subject of whether to prioritise between plants and regions. In both 2006 and 2007, the arrangement covered virtually all fishing industry companies in Northern Norway. The distribution between counties and fishing fleets corresponds with the desired result, but raw materials were concentrated on a minority of processing plants.
Experience from both 2006 and 2007 indicates the arrangement works best in Finnmark, which closely relates to the fact that in autumn cod stocks are best in Finnmark.
The future direction
After two years' experience with district quotas, the arrangement is being adjusted. In 2008, district quotas for trawlers will continue, while the coastal fleet will have a bi-catch quota.
"The aim is to create the conditions so the coastal fleet shall fish more saithe and haddock in the autumn in combination with an extra cod quota," says Scientist Bent Dreyer.
"When the geographic binding was abolished, we envisage that such an adjustment will benefit Finnmark. All experience indicates that it is here the coastal fleet has found it beneficial to fish whitefish in autumn. At the same time, the structure arrangements lead to fewer boats and more combined operations, so it will be extremely interesting to see how many perceive such bi-catch quotas as attractive. "
The project was funded by the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs.
Disktriktskvotene Fangståret 2007