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At the meeting, ministers discussed a report in which the European Crabbing Association asks the government to seek at least EUR 700,000 in compensations from the European Commission to cover the losses stemming from the Latvian crab trawler's arrest and idle standing because of Norway's fishing ban.

"Further handling of the issue will be up to the Foreign Ministry which is experienced in solving international disputes. The minutes of today's government meeting should be made public as they contain no secrets. The government has ordered to consider a lawsuit, the best options in case the negotiations fail. The government confirmed that it will provide political support, but everything related to litigation expenses will be the next issue, if it is decided to go to court. Today such a decision was not made," Duklavs said.

The minister also indicated that the main goal is not to take the Norwegians to court but to agree on a sensible solution so that the Latvian fishermen were allowed to catch now crab in Svalbard.

As for the losses Latvian ship owners are incurring because of idle standing, Duklavs said that they will not be covered with budget money and that compensations will be sought from the European Commission.

"We will apply to the European Commission because the regulation states that our vessels are entitled to fish there. If this is not ensured someone should pay. The European Commission will have to decide on providing the money, because this is yet another non-standard situation like the problems with milk and vegetables," the agriculture minister said.

As reported, the crabbing association believes Latvia has legal grounds to demand EU compensations for the losses that have occurred because of the bloc's failure to ensure the exercise of its legitimate rights in the fishing grounds around Norway's Svalbard archipelago.

Latvian companies North Star LTD and Baltjura Serviss have been busily preparing for the new fishing, starting January 1, 2017, since the Council of the EU on December 14, 2016 licensed 11 Latvian boats to fish in the seas around the Svalbard archipelago. The preparation works included hiring fishing crews, preparing fishing gear, repairing ships, arranging product supply chains and other costly activities, the association says in the letter to the government.

"The idling costs of the illegally detained boat Senator reach at least EUR 6,831 a day or EUR 205,000 a month (wages to the crew, fuel, heating, insurance, port charges, etc.). Since North Star LTD company has six vessels in its fleet, all of which have been preparing to start fishing at the beginning of this year, the fleet's total idling losses reach roughly EUR 731,179 a month, excluding the EUR 180,000 fine the Norwegian authorities want to charge before they release the vessel. Another company, Baljura Serviss, which has five vessels in its fleet, is only estimating its losses. The entire Latvian crabbing fleet remains practically idle since September 2016," the association says in its letter to the government.

The association also expresses readiness to provide detailed calculations of the losses to the authorities concerned.

As reported, the Latvian crab trawler Senator has been arrested on January 16 for fishing snow crab in Norwegian waters off the Svalbard (Spitzbergen) archipelago.

The Independent Barents Observer reported that the Latvian boat was detained as its crew was illegally crabbing on the Norwegian shelf in the Svalbard fishery protection zone. The Senator had reportedly put out 2,600 snow crab traps in the area without the Norwegian authorities' permission. The crabber was subsequently forced to set course to the port of Kirkenes.

The Latvian Foreign Ministry has presented the Norwegian Embassy in Riga a note asking to release a Latvian crab trawler with a crew of 30 people detained in Norway for catching snow crab in Svalbard.

The ministry’s spokesman Raimonds Jansons told LETA earlier that the Latvian side had also asked the Norwegian authorities to not interfere with crab fishing which has been taking place in accordance with international agreements.

Jansons cited the legal framework allowing Latvians to fish in this territory, including the 1980 bilateral fisheries agreement between the European Union and Norway, providing for annual talks on fishing rights in particular territories outside the EU, including Svalbard fishing grounds.

The Foreign Ministry official also mentioned the 1920 Paris agreement ensuring non-discriminatory access to fish stocks. “To us, it is important that the talks are led by the European Commission. Taking this case into consideration, we will work in Brussels with the European Commission to resolve this issue. Bilaterally, we have presented the embassy a note, citing the above agreements, the non-discrimination principle, access to fish stocks, and asking to release the ship and not to interfere with fishing that takes place in accordance with international agreements,” Jansons said.

In December 2016, the Latvian Agriculture Ministry’s representatives at a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council succeeded in securing crabbing licenses for Latvian fishermen in the Svalbard archipelago in 2017.