Decree No. 1618 of 2004 to regulate fishing for sprat in 2005.

Chapter I concerns fishing for sea sprat in the North Sea. Section 1 prohibits in principal fishing for and delivery of sprat with Norwegian vessels in ICES statistics area IV in the Norwegian Economic Zone and the EU zone. Section 1 further defines the ICES statistical area IV. Chapter 2 concerns fishing in the North Sea. Section 2 allows a total allowable catch of 1.000 tons of sea sprat to be fished and landed by Norwegian vessels in possession of purse seine or North sea or industrial trawl licences in the EU zone. The Director of Fisheries may open fishing in the Economic Zone if the quota in the other areas is fully fished. No fishing is allowed between 1 of April and the 30 of September (sect. 3). Quotas for single vessels are set at 1000 tons. Other provisions of Chapter 1 deal with reporting and bycatch which may for maximum 10 percent of the total consist of herring. Chapter 3 deals with fishing in the Norwegian internal waters and the Sgaerrak in which 3.750 tons may be fished. Fishing is allowed in the area distant 4 nautical miles from the Danish and Swedish baseline. Chapter 4 outlines powers of the Director of Fisheries to regulate quotas and stop fishing if quotas are exhausted. Chapter 5 prescribes offences.