Norway's top fisheries official on Monday called for a full stop to any sales involving foreign buyers, a dramatic action aimed at investigating potential attempts at circumventing ownership caps.

Norway Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen instructed the Director of Fisheries to stop processing any acquisition processes where foreign owners are involved, citing potential violations of the country's ownership limits.

Like other nations, Norway limits the amount of foreign ownership in quota-holding vessels. The country's cap is 40 percent for vessels over 15 meters.