The Nordic Council of Ministers is the official cooperation body of the Nordic governments.

The Nordic Council of Ministers works for joint Nordic solutions in areas where the Nordic countries can achieve greater results by working together than by solving the tasks separately. Our vision is to make the Nordic region the most sustainable and integrated region in the world.

The Nordic Council of Ministers’ cooperation on fisheries and aquaculture is anchored in the council for Fisheries, Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry, MR-FJLS.

The cooperation is conducted by a Nordic Committee of Officials for Fisheries and Aquaculture, EK-FJLS (Fisheries and Aquaculture) and a Nordic Working Group for Fisheries and Aquaculture, AG-Fisk. AG-Fisk is the operational body of the Committee of Officials and manages the Fisheries Cooperation’s project portfolio.

Together, the Committee of Officials and the Working Group constitute the Nordic Fisheries Cooperation.

The overall goal of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Fisheries Cooperation is to contribute to a greener, more competitive and more resilient fisheries and aquaculture in the Nordic region.

The fisheries cooperation focuses on management and research-based projects and works for a sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Nordic region, economically, socially and environmentally.

 Vision 2030

All activities in the Nordic Council of Ministers must contribute to Vision 2030, which stipulates that the Nordic region should become the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030. Vision 2030 has three strategic priority areas: a green Nordic region, a competitive Nordic region and a socially sustainable Nordic region.  Vision 2030 also involves strengthening the Nordic Council of Ministers’ work on sustainable development, gender equality and the children’s rights and youth perspective.

Link: Our vision 2030 | Nordic Cooperation

MR-FJLS Cooperation Programme 2025-2030

The cooperation programme for MR-FJLS describes the political priorities and objectives for the period 2025-2030. The cooperation programme describes the Nordic countries’ objectives for cooperation within fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture, food and forestry.

The sectors within MR-FJLS have been put under pressure by global events such as climate change, the Covid pandemic, unstable supply chains and most recently by the geopolitical challenges caused by, among other things, the Russian attack on Ukraine. The Nordic countries are cooperating to find future solutions for the green transition of the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture and food sectors, including as part of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Framework. Together, the countries must also find a balanced coexistence between resource use, nature and other interests on land and in marine areas. There is a need for regional cooperation involving the research world and companies.

For the period 2025-2030, three goals will guide Nordic cooperation:

1) Strengthened green transition,

2) Increased competitiveness and

3) Strengthened resilience.

Link: MR-FJLS Cooperation Programme 2025-2030

Read more: About Fisheries, Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry, MR-FJLS.

 Project funding

The Fisheries Cooperation announces calls annually and awards funds twice a year. See the current call here: Apply for funding

Application deadlines are in February and October.