The Barents Sea cod quota will rise by 14% in 2027 under a fisheries agreement signed by Norway and Russia in Istanbul on Friday, 23 October. The total limit for Northeast Arctic cod has been set at 325,000 tonnes, the first increase in six years following a long period of cuts.
The deal also covers other fish stocks shared by the two countries and keeps their scientific cooperation in place, despite strained relations and sanctions affecting Russian fishing companies.
The Barents Sea cod quota rises from a historic low
The new ceiling is up from 285,000 tonnes in 2026, when the quota fell to its lowest level since 1991. Norway will receive 156,997 tonnes of the 2027 allocation, compared with 139,827 tonnes in 2026. The overall quota is divided among Norway, Russia and third countries.
Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss welcomed the first increase in six years. The government says the 2027 limit has been set at a level intended to support the continued rebuilding of the cod stock, rather than treating the increase as a full recovery.
Haddock and halibut quotas also increase
The two countries agreed on a total haddock quota of 180,336 tonnes, up 18% from 2026, with 88,973 tonnes allocated to Norway. The Greenland halibut quota will rise by 11% to 21,000 tonnes, including 10,695 tonnes for Norway.
By contrast, the quota for beaked redfish will fall by 3% to 67,090 tonnes, of which Norway will receive 46,305 tonnes. Capelin fishing will remain closed in 2027, as it was in 2025 and 2026.
An agreement despite sanctions and political tensions
The negotiations took place in Istanbul from 19 to 23 October. They were the first face-to-face talks since 2019, after several years of online meetings. Næss said the discussions had been difficult, particularly because of sanctions against two Russian fishing companies.
Norway joined EU sanctions against Norebo JSC and Murman Seafood in July 2025. Norwegian authorities said the EU had linked the companies to alleged Russian intelligence activities targeting critical underwater infrastructure. The restrictions have remained a source of tension in the fisheries relationship, as High North News reported.
Yet the two sides agreed to maintain a shared scientific programme for 2027. Quota advice was developed by a bilateral group involving the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (Havforskningsinstituttet) and Russia’s VNIRO research institute. Joint technical fishing measures will continue, and the management rules for cod and haddock have been extended for another five years.
The arrangement matters because Northeast Arctic cod moves between Norwegian and Russian waters during its life cycle. The two countries have jointly managed Barents Sea stocks for about 50 years, making fisheries one of the areas where practical cooperation has continued despite broader political confrontation. The Faroe Islands have also maintained separate fisheries negotiations with Russia, highlighting the continuing economic importance of access to northern fishing grounds.
