The fishing activity in the Barents Sea is among other monitored by Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data. Figures 3.9.4.1-3.9.4.2 show fishing activity in 2016 from Russian and Norwegian data. VMS data might give us valuable information about temporal and spatial changes in fishing activity. The most widespread gear used in the Barents Sea is bottom trawl, but also longline, gillnets, Danish seine and handline are used in the demersal fisheries. The pelagic fisheries use purse-seine and pelagic trawl, shrimp fishery used special bottom trawls.
Figure 3.9.4.1. Location of Russian and foreign fishing activity from commercial fleets and fishing vessels used for research purposes in 2016 as reported (VMS) to Russian authorities. This is VMS data linked with logbook data (source: PINRO Fishery statistics database).
Figure 3.9.4.2 Location of Norwegian and foreign fishing activity from commercial fleets (larger than 15m) and fishing vessels used for research purposes in 2016 as reported (VMS) to Norwegian authorities. This is VMS data linked with logbook data. Surrounding nets = Danish seine (source: Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries).
From 2011 onwards, the minimum mesh size for bottom-trawl fisheries for cod and haddock is 130 mm for the entire Barents Sea (previously the minimum mesh size was 135 mm in the Norwegian EEZ and 125 mm in the Russian EEZ). It is still mandatory to use sorting grids. The minimum legal catch size was harmonized at the same time: for cod from 47 cm (Norway) and 42 cm (Russia) to 44 cm for all, and for haddock from 44 cm (Norway) and 39 cm (Russia) to 40 cm for all.