Greenland Puts Fishery Cooperation With Russia on Hold

The Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, will not be swapping fish quotas with Russia in 2023. That is reported by Weekendavisen.

The rejection means that Greenlandic fishing companies will not receive quotas in the Barents Sea and Russian fishers will not receive quotas in Greenlandic waters. According to the newspaper, this is the first time since the start of the agreement in 1992 that Greenland is refusing to swap quotas.

The official explanation from the Greenlandic government is that today's fish stocks on Greenland do not allow for normal quota swaps with Russia. It is therefore not a question of protesting against Russia's war in Ukraine. According to Weekendavise, the decline was made in cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to avoid politicization of the fishery.

Other fishery negotiations with Russia can therefore continue in other international fora. The quota swap arrangement can be reactivated in 2024.

Greenland's Prime Minister Múte B. Egede (IA), has previously condemned the war against Ukraine, and a law was passed this fall in both Greenland and Denmark's parliament which will make it possible for Greenland to join sanctions against Russia.