Lower thirds:
0:03  Report by / Marie Sina
0:08  Rune Myreng / Norwegian fisherman 
0:54  Tom Roseth / Norwegian Defence University College
1:21  Maciej Berestecki / EU Commission fisheries spokesperson
1:54  Frank Kristiansen / Manager of fish storage
2:21  Tom Roseth / Norwegian Defence University College

Script:

00:01
Norwegian fisherman Rune goes out to sea every day, in one of the world’s most militarized maritime zones.

00:08
+++ SOT Rune Myreng, Norwegian fisherman +++
I see many Russian warships when we are fishing here in the border.  They are watching they are controlling.

Batsford is on the Barent’s sea. It’s located close to the border between NATO and Russian territory.

00:21
The Barent’s sea hosts the world’s biggest cod population. For Russia and Norway, it’s a lucrative business venture.

00:28 
But here’s the catch: this sea is also home to critical infrastructure like undersea cables. They carry internet data and phone calls, for example. 

00:37 
Since Russia’s full scale, invasion of Ukraine, Russian fishing vessels on these waters have been linked to spying activities. 

00:45
But they are still allowed to dock on Norwegian harbours like this one. 

Because Norway continues to collaborate with Russia when it comes to cod. 

00:54
+++ SOT Tom Roseth, Norwegian Defence University College +++ 
The Russian side is using different means to map our vulnerabilities. Our vulnerable infrastructure both on the sea but also on shore and on land. 

01:05
Yet, Norway has profited from Russia’s fishing fleet. 
 
The value of Norway’s fish imports from Russia is higher now than before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

01:15
That’s why, even though Norway isn't in the European Union, the EU is voicing criticism. 
 
01:21
+++ SOT Maciej Berestecki, EU Commission fisheries spokesperson +++
We have security concerns. We don’t think that the consultation between Norway and Russia is helpful in this regard. 

01:27
Last year, Norway sanctioned two of Russia’s biggest fishing companies, after the EU accused them of espionage. 
 
But other Russian vessels are still delivering fish to this harbour. 

So, why is Norway holding on to its cod cooperation? 

01:42
Cod has been called the gold of the arctic. In towns like Batsfjord, it’s essential to the local economy. 

Frank’s fish storage takes in the cod that gets delivered by Russian vessels. 

01:54
+++ SOT Frank Kristiansen, Manager of fish storage +++
It has a big impact on this community. FLASH We are just living on fish and fish production. It’s 76% of all companies in Batsfjord is based on fish. 

02:07
And there’s another reason: 

Norway and Russia have been cooperating in the management of the cod population here for 50 years. Together, they agree on a fishing quota for each side. The collaboration is essential to prevent overfishing. 

02:21
+++ SOT Tom Roseth, Norwegian Defence University College +++
The future of the fishery activity in northern Norway depends on bilateral agreement with Russia. And then you have the danger of that activity being subject to intelligence operations. And that is a serious dilemma for the government. 

02:35
The Norwegian government has limited the amount of time Russian crews are allowed to spend on land, and the imported fish is inspected by customs officers 

The Norwegian government also insists that the cooperation will continue. 

02:53
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