NAFO agrees to increase cod quota at Flemish Cap for 2025

At the recent annual meeting of NAFO, which concluded yesterday, member countries agreed to increase the cod quota at Flemish Cap for 2025.

The total allowable catch for cod has been set at 12,613 tons for 2025, with the Faroe Islands allocated 22.35% of this quota.

This means that the Faroese cod quota at Flemish Cap for next year will be 2,819 tons, slightly up from 2,617 tons in 2024.

Additionally, the Faroese quotas for other species have been determined, with 188 tons for black scad and 69 tons for redfish.

The Ministry of Fisheries notes that Canada has also reopened its cod fishery at the Grand Bank, which has been closed since 1993. Canada holds 95% of the total allowable catch in this area. An agreement was made to allow the cod stock to recover in the coming years, with a quota assigned for member countries, initially deemed mainly suitable for bycatch. The Faroe Islands will receive a quota of 20 tons.

Both the shrimp stocks at Flemish Cap and Grand Bank are struggling to recover, and member countries have agreed to continue the fishing ban in place since 2022.