Content
About the statistics
Definitions
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Name and topic
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Name: Fisheries (terminated in Statistics Norway)
Topic: Agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing
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Responsible division
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Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics
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Definitions of the main concepts and variables
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Live weight is the weight of the fish in the condition it is caught. The weight of fish that is landed without head, in gutted condition, as fillet or salted etc. is converted into live weight.
FAO uses the concept of nominal catch instead of live weight. The word catch is also often used without further explanation. In catch journals this is interpreted as estimated quantity in live weight.
Catch value is the amount paid to the fishermen for the catch. This includes freight and price subsidies and production tax, but not tax to the sales co-operatives. Value added tax is not included.
Pelagic means living in the water masses.
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Standard classifications
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Standard classifications of target species, fish commodities, fishing grounds and conversion factors are given in appendixes to the yearly publication NOS Fishery statistics
Administrative information
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Regional level
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Municipial figures, county figures and figures for entire country.
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Frequency and timeliness
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Annual preliminary and final figures.
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International reporting
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The Directorate of Fisheries does reporting to:
- Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT):
- Food and Agricultures Organization of the United nations (FAO).
- International Council of Exploratin of the Sea (ICES).
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO).
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Microdata
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The Directorate of Fisheries and Statistics Norway stores the data files.
Background
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Background and purpose
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The Fishery statistics presents an overview of catches of saltwater fish. Statistics on fisheries were first displayed in a publication of its own in 1868. The Directorate of Fisheries took over the preparation of the publication in 1900. Since 1977 it has been Statistics Norways responsibility in co-operation with the Directorate of Fisheries.
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Users and applications
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The purpose of collecting data from catches is to gather information necessary to secure a viable administration of the marine resources. This is done by controlling resources and quotas, and by having fishery statistics of good quality.
The data forms the basis for research work in connection with regulations, strategic analysis, analysis of structure of the fishing fleet, and also the consequences of administrative actions on the industrial economy. The data also forms the basis of fulfilling Norway's obligation to report to international organisations.
Figures from the fishery statistics are a part of the national accounts, which are an essential information source for the analysis of the economic development and economic structure in Norway.
The fishery statistics is otherwise used by public authorities and the general public, research institutions, students, media, financial analysts, interest groups and national and international organisations.
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Equal treatment of users
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No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given inthe Statistics Release Calendar. Read more about principles for equal treatement of all users on ssb.no.
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Coherence with other statistics
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The Directorate of Fisheries publishes statistics on the inetrnet: http://www.fiskeridir.no/english
Many international organisations also publish statistics of catches in quantity and value, e.g. FAO and Eurostat.
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Legal authority
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Data are obtained by the Directorate of Fisheries pursuant to the following Acts:
- Act no. 3 of 14 December 1951: Act relating to marketing of raw fish.
- Act no. 40 of 3 June 1983: Act relating to seawater fisheries, etc.
Statistics Norway recieve data from the Directorate of Fisheries according to:
- Act no. 54 of 16 June 1989: Statistics Act.
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EEA reference
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- Council Regulation (EEC) 3880/91 of 17 December 1991.
- Council Regulation (EEC) 2018/93 of 30 June 1993.
- Council Regulation (EEC) 2597/95 of 23 October 1995.
- Council Regulation (EEC) 1382/91 of 21 May 1991.
Production
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Population
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The statistic cover all catches of marine fish delivered in Norway or abroad by Norwegian-registered vessels and catches of marine fish delivered in Norway by foreign vessels. Included are also sealing, whaling, catches of seaweed, oysters and mussels, while delivering outside the sales co-operatives and none-registered sales are not included. Fish farming and fishing for own use is not included either. As from 2015 catches from sea fishing of salmon and sea trout in ordinary season are not included.
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Data sources and sampling
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The Directorate of Fisheries produces catch statistics based on information from approved sales co-operatives. According to law, official approved sales co-operatives have the sole right of first hand sale of most fish species and other animals caught in the sea. Excepted from this are salmon, sea trout and seal.
Total census
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Collection of data, editing and estimations
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The statistic is based on contract notes given to the fishermen as a part of the settlement. These notes contain information about quantity and value together with other information.
Statistics Norway receives data from the database of contract notes, administrated by the Directorate of Fisheries.
The Directorate of Fisheries does the control and the revision of the catch database.
The Directorate of Fisheries does the estimations.
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Seasonal adjustment
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Not relevant
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Confidentiality
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Not relevant
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Comparability over time and space
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Statistics Norway publishes preliminary figures in the end of January and final figures 15 November.
The selection of tables for this edition has been changed compared with earlier years, but the data sources are the same. As from 2005 a new grouping of target species is used, and the list of specified species is slightly changed as well as the categories for disposition of the catch.
Time series of catches in quantity and value all the way back to 1977 are published in the series NOS Fishery statistics. Furthermore, comparable time series going back to 1866 are presented in NOS Historical Statistics 1978 and 1994, and in the Statbank.
Accuracy and reliability
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Sources of error and uncertainty
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The information on the contract notes may vary in quality, and extensive verification is a necessity.
Vessels using more than one type of fishing gear on one trip, can only report one type of fishing gear on the contract note, and vessels fishing in more than one fishing ground can only report one fishing ground. This must be considered when reading the tables. This is also the explanation for possible discrepancies between catch statistics based on contract notes and those based on catch journals from trawlers. Information from catch journals can sometimes be missing due to the loss of catch journals prior to submission.
When collecting statistics common errors occurrs, like errors when filling in, errors in assessment during the revision as well as errors in the register etc.
It is not possible to estimate figures for landings which have not been registered trough official channels.
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Revision
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Not relevant