New UK Fisheries Minister George Eustice and Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael met with the Scottish pelagic industry on 15 October to discuss a range of issues, including mackerel.
Negotiations have begun on two important stocks - blue whiting and Atlantic herring, with mackerel talks due to begin next week. However, blue whiting discussions have been suspended until December as the results of a special ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) scientific request had not been finalised in time.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said: “The meeting with Mr Eustice provided an early opportunity to brief the Minister on the importance of the autumn negotiation period for the pelagic fleet. We stressed to Mr Eustice that newly released mackerel scientific advice demonstrated that the stock was in robust health and that the UK should not feel pressurised into securing a deal which jeopardised the future of the UK pelagic fleet.
“Our first meeting with Mr Eustice was extremely useful and the Association found the Minister to be well informed, which was demonstrated by his considered responses. The Association and the Minister agreed to stay in close contact during the autumn negotiating season.”
Both ministers were also briefed on the Faroe Islands’ decision to withdraw from an international fisheries agreement for Atlanto-Scandian herring earlier this year and then set a unilateral quota of more than three times its traditional share.
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