Norwegian capelin fisheries in Icelandic waters

The current Framework Agreement between Greenland/Denmark, Iceland and Norway on the conservation and management of capelin is from 2018. The parties meet annually for a coastal State consultation and adopt an Agreed Record for each fishing season. This agreement also has bilateral annexes between the parties and Annex III describes the measures for access and technical conditions in the capelin fisheries between Iceland and Norway. Different annexes have different elements. Technical conditions for Greenlandic and Faroese vessels in the capelin fisheries are subject to bilateral agreements between Iceland and Greenland and Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

During the last consultations, which were held in September 2021, no request for changes to this annex were brought forward by the Norwegian delegation.

It is the view of Iceland, that appropriate timing for discussions and potential changes to the annexes, is when the annual consultation take place, but not during the fishing season. During the meeting in September 2021, Iceland already indicated to Norway the wish to discuss certain elements of the bilateral annex between Iceland and Norway during the coastal State meeting prior to the fishing season 2022-2023 and therefor, allowing for one-year consideration period for Norway.

The TAC for the 2021-2022 capelin season was announced on 1 October 2021 and fishery has been open in the economic zones of the parties from 15 October 2021, including access for foreign vessels in the exclusive economic zone of Iceland.