The compensation scheme does not directly reimburse fuel purchases. Instead, it is distributed between fleet groups to provide incentives for energy efficiency. Within each group, payments are allocated to individual vessels based on the value of the catch they achieved, a design intended to reward more productive and efficient operations.
Coastal Shrimp Fleet Subsidy
In a related development, the NFD has established an interim subsidy for the coastal shrimp fleet (kystrekeflåten) for 2026, setting the support rate at NOK 3.50 per litre (€0.30 / £0.26) from the start of the year.
The Storting allocated NOK 23.2 million (€1.97 million / £1.70 million) in the 2026 budget for this subsidy, which will be administered by the Guarantee Fund for Fishermen. Applications will open from February, and the ministry said it will monitor developments and adjust the scheme if circumstances change.
Government Seeks To Ease Economic Pressures
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss said continuing the subsidy “will help maintain activity and ease economic challenges in this fleet group,” highlighting the sector’s ongoing cost pressures. The measures signal the government’s intent to sustain Norway’s fishing fleet through structural changes in taxation and market conditions, while balancing environmental policy with industry viability.
No official cost-of-living or inflation forecasts accompany the announcements, leaving industry observers to assess whether the compensation packages offset broader economic headwinds facing fishermen next year.