Fishing activity in the Barents Sea is tracked by the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). Figures 3.9.4.1 and 3.9.4.2 show fishing activity in 2017-2019 based on Russian and Norwegian data. VMS data offer valuable information about temporal and spatial changes in fishing activity.
The most widespread gear used in the Barents Sea is bottom trawl; but longlines, gillnets, Danish seines, and handlines are also used in demersal fisheries. Pelagic fisheries use purse-seines and pelagic trawls. The 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 2017 -2019 as reported (VMS) to Russian authorities. These are VMS data linked with logbook data (source: PINRO Fishery statistics database). From 2011 onwards, 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. 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.
Figure 3.9.4.2 Location of Norwegian and foreign fishing activity from commercial fleets (larger than 15 m) and fishing vessels used for research purposes in 2017-2019 as reported (VMS) to Norwegian authorities. These are VMS data linked with logbook data. Surrounding nets = Danish seine (source: Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries). Fishery tracking (not AIS) linked to landing