No Compromise: Mackerel Talks Breakdown Again
17 February 2012EUROPE - The final meeting of the four coastal States, Iceland, the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands, as well as the Russian Federation, on the management of mackerel fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic in 2012, was concluded in Reykjavík yesterday. Unfortunately, no agreement was reached at the meeting.
Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, on behalf of the European Union, and Lisbehth Berg-Hansen, Minister of Fisheries, on behalf of Norway, have expressed their disappointment and grave concern following the inconclusive outcome of the meeting on mackerel fishery in the North-East Atlantic.
In spite of five rounds of consultations in autumn 2011 and early 2012, at which the EU and Norway submitted three series of proposals, it is particularly disappointing that neither Iceland nor the Faroe Islands really engaged in the negotiation process. It is regrettable that neither Iceland nor the Faroe Islands have made proposals, which would have respected the zonal attachment principles and historical fishing, on which stock sharing arrangements have been negotiated by those same Parties in the past.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA), branded this final set of talks with Iceland and the Faroes as a “wild goose chase” with neither of the countries showing any intention of seeking realistic compromise in the negotiations.
He said: “We condemn Iceland for inviting Coastal States to Reykjavik for further talks when they had no intention of compromising or tabling a realistic solution to this mackerel catching dispute. It was simply a wild goose chase. We should also question why the Faroe Islands turn up to these talks when they contribute nothing to the debate, remain silent and are clearly intent on hammering the mackerel stock again this year.
“It is glaringly apparent that continual negotiation and compromise by the EU and Norway is not going to achieve an agreement with Iceland and the Faroes. Sanctions must now be implemented against Iceland and the Faroes before their summer mackerel fisheries begin."
“We know the European Parliament is making good progress with the sanction proposal but it will also need European fisheries ministers to endorse the sanction measures. Given that the UK is the largest stakeholder in the mackerel fishery, we call upon Scots fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead and UK fisheries minister Richard Benyon to throw their full weight behind this and ensure that sanctions are in place before these fisheries commence."
At the meeting, Iceland put emphasis on ensuring a fair share for Icelandic vessels in the mackerel fishery, taking into account the fact that the stock migrates in large abundance into the Icelandic exclusive economic zone for feeding.
Iceland's ministry of Fisheries further emphasised that the mackerel fishery should be in conformity with the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in order to ensure a sustainable fishery.
When it became clear that no agreement would be reached on the allocation of quotas between the parties, Iceland proposed that all the parties would reduce their catches in the same proportion this year. Iceland notes that this proposal was not accepted by the other parties.
Consequently, the parties will unilaterally determine their respective quotas for this year as has been the case in recent years. Iceland´s share has been limited to 16-17 per cent of the total catches and accordingly the catch limit this year is expected to be around 145,000 tonnes.
Iceland says it will continue to stress the importance of reaching an agreement on the management of the mackerel fishery but in order to achieve that objective all the parties must contribute to an agreement. The coastal States consultations will be resumed next autumn with respect to the 2013 fishery.
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