The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries has opened for the catch of a total of 1,641 minke whales in 2026, an increase of 235 animals from last year, according to the government. The government says the increase is largely due to unused quotas from previous years being carried over. The season runs from April 1 until August. It is estimated that there are over 100,000 minke whales in the North Atlantic. The number of boats participating has fallen over time, and in recent years around 10 boats have participated in Norwegian whaling.
Elisabeth Mikalsen, mayor of Røst municipality, is very concerned about developments in the fishing industry. The Lofoten fishery has plummeted in recent years. In the peak year of 2014, around 70,000 tons of cod were landed in Lofoten and Salten, but so far this year, just under 7,000 tons have been landed. Little fish means the onshore industry, which is to receive and process the fish, has little to do. In a commentary in Lofotposten, Mikalsen writes that she now demands political measures to ensure the onshore fishing industry survives this crisis. She wants new rules and new arrangements that ensure fish is delivered along the entire coast.
Among other things, Mikalsen proposes to accelerate the fresh fish scheme in Lofoten and Vesterålen. The scheme makes it possible for the smallest boats to fish more cod than they have quota for, provided they fish and deliver other species at the same time. The purpose is to ensure the fishing industry on land has access to fresh fish, and especially cod, also outside the large seasonal peaks. The scheme originally starts at the end of June, but Mikalsen proposes it should apply already in April in Lofoten and Vesterålen.
A total of 3,357 vessels including leisure boats have made 39,393 individual deliveries to a total of 185 fish buyers in the first 13 weeks of 2026. In the same period in 2025, the numbers were 3,633 vessels, 42,459 deliveries and 199 buyers. The value of traded cod quantity delivered by Norwegian boats by week 13 amounted to around 4.5 billion kroner, up 600 million compared to the same period the year before.
The geographical distribution of cod landings from the coastal fleet shows that Vest-Finnmark came out best. 22,610 tons of the total 60,140 tons are traded to buyers in the region, which is the only region with increased deliveries compared to the year before. Troms follows with 15,950 tons, at the same level as in 2025.
Taxpayers in Lurøy are at the top of the list for tax bills in 2025. On average, each taxpayer in Lurøy must pay 213,576 kroner in back taxes. According to Helgelands Blad, the main reason is that many residents have earned well from the sale of the aquaculture company Nova Sea, which was sold to Mowi just before Christmas in 2024 for 7.4 billion kroner. The business started on Lovund in Lurøy, and many of the municipality's residents owned shares in Nova Sea. Several residents in the municipalities on the Helgeland coast have also likely come out well from the big sale.
Glimt's Nigerian striker Gift Sunday is loaned out to FC KTP in Finland. The club plays in the Finnish 1st division. In the autumn of last year, the 20-year-old was on loan at Oslo club Skeid, where he played ten games in the 1st division and one cup game without scoring a goal. Earlier in the season he was on loan at Start, which also was not a success. Sunday has yet to debut for Glimt's A-team, but has recorded ten games and four goals for Bodø/Glimt 2.