Fishing quotas, reopening and weather warning

The Troms og Finnmark news of the past 48 hours is dominated by the opening, on Monday 19 October, of the annual fishing quota negotiations between Norway and Russia in Istanbul, Turkey. On the ground, a road axis in Salangen municipality has partially reopened after a landslide on Wednesday, and a yellow warning for heavy rain and gusts has been issued for Monday. The county of Troms og Finnmark was dissolved on 1 January 2024: the area covered here now corresponds to the two counties of Troms and Finnmark.

Fishing: first in-person Norwegian-Russian meeting in six years

The Norwegian and Russian delegations meet in Istanbul on Monday for the annual quota negotiations (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). The fishing agreement remains one of the very few points of contact between the two countries. "It is clear that this is more demanding than during the 50 years we have had the fishing agreement with Russia," says Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss (Ap) to NRK Helg.

Relations with the eastern neighbour were fundamentally altered after the launch of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. In recent years, exchanges had therefore taken place digitally. This year, the administrations of the two countries agreed to an in-person meeting in Istanbul, the first in six years, in order to better resolve some of the most delicate technical and administrative issues, the minister explains.

Tromsø / Finnmark news: fylkesvei 848 reopened on one lane

One of the two lanes of fylkesvei 848 at Løksebotn, in Salangen municipality, was reopened on Saturday at 19:00, Statens vegvesen reports (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). The road had been closed since Wednesday after a major landslide: a huge block of rock broke off the mountain and reached the carriageway.

The road to the islands of Rolla and Andørja, in Ibestad municipality, remained cut off for several days. The only alternative for residents and transport was the ferry to Harstad. The reopening of one lane on Saturday evening reduces the dependence on this sea connection, although traffic remains restricted on the axis.

Weather: yellow warning for heavy rain and gusts on Monday

Heavy rain and powerful gusts are expected on Monday. Meteorologists have issued a yellow warning for part of Troms and northern Nordland, with the gust warning also applying to Finnmark on Monday (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark).

Milder temperatures are forecast after a weekend during which precipitation fell partly as snow. On Saturday, it snowed in several places in Troms, making the change in weather all the more marked on the roads.

Energy: Equinor does not recommend extending Melkøya beyond 2030

The Senterpartiet's proposal to extend the life of the Melkøya gas plant, in Hammerfest, is running into opposition from Norwegian industry circles. Equinor says the state will have to foot the bill if operations continue beyond 2030 (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). The Melkøya liquefaction plant processes gas from the Snøhvit field, in the Barents Sea.

Press: a Russian oligarch sues The Barents Observer

Editor Thomas Nilsen, at his desk at the news site The Barents Observer, in Kirkenes, has a 100-page summons issued by an English law firm (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). Behind the proceedings is the fishing billionaire Vitalij Orlov, based in Murmansk and owner of Russia's largest fishing group, Norebo. He is targeting Thomas Nilsen and co-owner Atle Staalesen, with a risk of bankruptcy for the media outlet.

"We see this as an attack aimed at stopping free and independent journalism from the northern regions, for a Russian audience. It is an attack on us as a media outlet," the editor says. The summons relies on controversial English laws, already used by wealthy individuals to harass media with baseless lawsuits. The newspaper has 35 days to respond.

📌 Local briefs

Andenes: an unresponsive body was discovered on Saturday morning around 9:00. The person has not been formally identified, but the police are linking it to a 77-year-old man who has been missing since 6 October; the family has been informed (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark).

Finnmark: police are warning against fraudulent doorstep selling. A man contacts elderly people to sell fire escape ladders. Two days ago, a similar case was reported in Sør-Varanger municipality, where an elderly woman reportedly let in a scammer asking for her bank card and PIN code. An investigation has been opened; residents can call 02800 (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark).

Other Tromsø / Finnmark news noted this weekend: several traffic accidents occurred on very slippery roads (Nordlys, 18 October, 00:00); a man was sentenced to 120 days in prison for forgetting the charger of his electronic bracelet and going off to party (iFinnmark, 18 October, 04:00).

Sources: NRK Tromsø / Finnmark, Nordlys, iTromsø, iFinnmark, The Local Norway — Period: 17 October 2026 and 18 October 2026