The Russians want to keep the fisheries cooperation with Norway
I am a press release Friday that the Norwegian government reports that Norway is freezing research and education cooperation with Russia. But agreements and cooperation within nuclear preparedness and fisheries and resource management will continue to continue as before, the government reports.
Russian response on fisheries cooperation
Earlier this week, Fiskeribladet asked for a comment from the Russian fisheries authorities about the Norwegian-Russian fisheries cooperation and for a possible connection of Norwegian ports for the Russian vessels, which are now being processed in Norway.
The answer comes from Anna Shulaeva, who is the official Russian representative of the federal fisheries authorities at the Russian embassy in Norway. She says they do not consider it appropriate to comment on the possible consequences of the sanctions imposed on Russia in the current situation.
At the same time, we believe it is necessary to state that Russian-Norwegian fisheries cooperation has been established by Russian and Norwegian experts and marine scientists for more than 50 years. During this period, our interaction has gone through various difficult times, but it has nevertheless been maintained.
Unique collaboration
Shulaeva believes it proves to the whole world community that only coordinated and scientifically based regulation of marine resources in the Barents Sea from the Coastal States makes it possible to implement rational and sustainable fishing, which provides benefits not only for Russia and Norway, but also for the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, EU and UK.
– The work of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission has repeatedly been set as an example in many international forums, and such unique cooperation has not yet been repeated in other parts of the world. The parties constantly emphasize the supremacy of a practical approach to resolving the issues of management and protection of the common fishery resources within the framework of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission, it is stated in the response from Shulaeva.
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– From our side, we will try to improve this unique interaction and professional dialogue to the extent possible under current circumstances. Without mutual trust and cooperation, there can be no efficient management of our common fisheries resources.
Has consequences
From the Norwegian point of view, the government for the serious situation in Europe lies with the Russian government.
– The attack on Ukraine must also have consequences for research and education cooperation, says Minister of Research and Higher Education Ola Borten Moe (Sp) in a press release on Thursday.
– Therefore, we suspend all dialogue with the Russian authorities and as a general rule, all institutional agreements between Norwegian and Russian research and educational institutions must be signed.
This is how the knowledge cooperation with Russia flows in:
- The Ministry of Education and the underlying agencies suspend all dialogue with the Russian authorities
- The Research Council’s joint announcement with Russia stops
- The Norwegian-Russian education agreement is suspended
- The negotiated research agreement with Russia is being signed
- As a general rule, all agreements between Norwegian and Russian institutions must be signed. The institutions may choose to agree, but a thorough assessment must be made in each individual case.
- Any agreements and cooperation within nuclear preparedness and fisheries and resource management will continue to continue as before.
- At the same time, it is desirable that researchers can continue to have contact with each other across national borders (so-called researcher-to-researcher collaboration).