3.7 



NORWAY 



The Norwegian high-seas fleet of 139 vessels as of 1992, is equipped to process a variety of fish and 

 shellfish and to deliver a high quality product to customers around the world. The Norwegian high-seas fleet' began 

 expanding rapidly in 1986, peaking at 143 vessels in 1990. Substantial catches of cod, capelin, Atlantic herring, 

 Atlantic mackerel, sandeels, and other species in recent years are keeping Norwegian fishermen busy harvesting 

 these species in domestic waters. Norwegian shipyards produce high quality vessels that are sold to fishermen all 

 over the world. Seven Norwegian factory trawlers fished off Australia and New Zealand in 1992. These distant 

 operations have not proven profitable. A shift in Norway's fishing fleet to distant grounds is not anticipated. 

 Several Caribbean-flag vessels have recently begun fishing in international waters between Norway and Russia. 



CONTENTS 



1. General Background 231 



2. Fleet Background 232 



3. Modernization Programs 232 



4. Decommissioning Programs 233 



5. Shipyards 233 



6. International Agreements 234 



7. Fleet Dispersal Plans 235 



Sources 235 



Endnotes 239 



1. General Background 



Norway is Western Europe's leading producer of 

 fish and shellfish by virtue of its harvest of 2.4 

 million tons of fish and shellfish in 1992.' Norway 

 controls some of the richest fishing grounds in the 

 world. Norwegian waters provide excellent 

 conditions for spawning and growth of healthy stocks 

 of fish. Fishing is important to the people of coastal 

 Norway as well as to the nation's social structure.' 

 Fisheries is also a vital economic activity for the 

 country: The value of the 1992 catch was $784 

 million and Norway's exports of fishery products 

 amounted to 1,235,000 tons worth $2.1 billion." 



Exports of fishery products in 1992 rank third after 

 petroleum and metals and constitute about 7.0 percent 

 of the nation's exports in terms of value.' Fishing is 

 important along the country's 21,925 kilometer 

 coastline, and especially in isolated fishing villages. 



The most important species in Norwegian marine 

 fisheries are Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, mackerel, 

 and capelin. Unlike all North Atlantic countries (from 

 Canada to Greenland to Iceland to the United 

 Kingdom), Norway has seen a return of Atlantic cod 

 stocks. Norway's catch of Atlantic cod went from 



231 



