Representatives of the EU pelagic fishing industry met with Commissioner Damanaki on Monday to put forward a solution to resolving the long running mackerel dispute.
The EU and Norway have been disputing over mackerel quotas with Iceland and the Faroe Islands for some time, with the two countries (and now Greenland) setting themselves the “unjustified” quota of 334,000 tonnes for this year. However, a 64% increase in the advice given by ICES has prompted the industry to put forward its own “realistic” solution.
Gerard van Balsfoort, chairman of the Northern Pelagic Working Group of EAPO, said, “We presented the Commissioner a detailed solution for the sharing arrangement of the mackerel stock which allows for the expansion and contraction of the mackerel stock in the N. E. Atlantic waters. The EU pelagic industry firmly believes that we are now in an expansion phase where the stock is dependent upon wider feeding areas. However, ICES confirms that the core spawning area still remains the same, which is west and southwest of Ireland”.
The solution put forward covers a three-tiered structure, where Tier One represents the existing arrangements between the Coastal States. Tier Two recognises the expansion of the stock and the increased catches by Iceland and the Faeroes and would allow for increased shares by these coastal states. When the scientific advice would be greater than the 2014 advice (which is 900,000 tonnes) a combination of the Tier One and Tier Two sharing arrangements would be put in place.
Commissioner Damanaki agreed to examine the proposal, and the EU pelagic industry will be actively advocating this new approach at the Coastal States negotiations that start on 23 October.
