2027 fishing agreement signed

The latest Tromsø / Finnmark news from the past 48 hours: Norway and Russia signed a new fishing agreement for 2027 on Friday, with the first increase in the cod quota in 6 years. Meanwhile, October is ending around 2 degrees warmer than normal in the north, and the complaint against Tromsø’s municipal director remains unresolved.

Tromsø / Finnmark news: 2027 fishing agreement signed in Istanbul

Norway and Russia reached agreement on a new fishing convention for 2027 on Friday afternoon (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). Negotiations began on Monday 19 October in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the first face-to-face meeting of the delegations since 2019, following several years of talks conducted remotely.

The cod quota in the Barents Sea will rise for the first time in 6 years: an increase of 14 % brings the volume to 325,000 tonnes. Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss describes the agreement as decisive for coastal communities. “This fishing convention matters enormously to coastal communities, fishermen and Norway,” she says (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark).

The other quotas have been allocated as follows: 180,336 tonnes for haddock, including 88,973 tonnes for Norway, an 18 % increase compared with the 2026 quota; and 21,000 tonnes for Greenland halibut. These volumes directly affect the ports and fleets of the two northern counties, Troms and Finnmark, which formed the former Troms og Finnmark county until 1 January 2024.

October is 2 degrees warmer than normal

So far this month, October has been around 2 degrees above average in the former Troms og Finnmark region, according to Helga Therese Tilley Tajet, a climatologist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). “We could end up on the podium,” she says of the ranking of the warmest Octobers recorded in the region.

Weather remains mild for the weekend, according to Nordlys, before overcast skies are forecast for the following week (Nordlys, 23 October). On the health front, the influenza vaccination campaign has begun in Vadsø. Vaccines have been delayed in several parts of the country, but pharmacies have secured supplies, and the municipality is among those receiving doses (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark).

Tromsø: Complaint against municipal director remains unresolved

The Tromsø municipal employer board did not conclude its review of the complaint submitted by 4 senior executives against municipal director Ellen Beate Lundberg on Friday (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). “We held a meeting of the employer board, reviewed all the documents and took stock of the situation,” explains Mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen (Arbeiderpartiet), who announced another meeting next week and considers the progress satisfactory.

Ellen Beate Lundberg did not wish to comment for the time being. In an SMS to NRK, she said she had no comment at this stage and referred to the employer board’s handling of the case. On another matter, iTromsø relayed a call addressed to the Municipality of Tromsø to ensure that “no child is left on the sidelines” (iTromsø, 23 October).

Alfheim: NOK 25 million offer for the swimming hall

Investment and development company Isanor Capital has offered NOK 25 million for the Alfheim swimming hall, NOK 5 million above the asking price (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). Nordlys broke the story first. The project plans a luxury hotel with a restaurant next to the existing hall, which will be converted into a swimming pool and wellness centre.

“We wanted to keep things simple for the municipality so that it would say yes to our offer,” says Chief Executive Officer Anette Juel Knudtzon. However, full completion of the project depends on purchasing the neighbouring plot, for which the company claims it holds a purchase right.

Army chief trained at Finnmark Brigade

John Olav Fuglem, 56, has been appointed major general and new Army chief, the government announced in a press release (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). He was the first commander of the Finnmark Brigade, established in August 2025, and led it for a little over 1 year. “I await this work with much humility, but also much enthusiasm,” he says. Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik congratulated him.

Sport: Haugaard and the Stavanger challenge

Tromsø IL goalkeeper Jakob Rønning-Haugaard, 34, spoke about his mistake against KFUM Oslo last Sunday, which led to the 1-1 equaliser and cost Tromsø 2 points in the race for 3rd place and European qualification in 2027 (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). On Sunday, Tromsø travel to Stavanger, where Viking are on a run of 17 consecutive home victories in Eliteserien.

📌 Local briefs

In Kirkenes, Vestre’s visit during Nordnytt led to no promises concerning the water supply (NRK Tromsø / Finnmark). One person was taken to hospital after a road accident (iFinnmark, 24 October). The roof of the Tromsø cinema must be secured after 3 attempts (iTromsø, 23 October). A report of smoke coming from a hotel window proved to be a false alarm (iTromsø, 23 October). A resident thought they had received a call from the police before it emerged to be a scammer (Nordlys, 24 October). More than 170 companies are paying dividends to their shareholders (iFinnmark, 24 October).

Sources: NRK Tromsø / Finnmark, Nordlys, iTromsø, iFinnmark, The Local Norway — Period: 23 October 2026 and 24 October 2026