News / Faroe fish talks “constructive”
SCOTTISH Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson has described high level meetings with Faroe foreign minister Jorgen Niclasen and fisheries minister Jacob Vestergaard on mackerel quotas as ‘constructive.’
Mr Stevenson travelled to Faroe for the conference on ‘The Pelagic Complex in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean’ to highlight the dispute over quotas, widely dubbed as the ‘mackerel war.’
The disagreement started after Faroe more than tripled its catch from a quota of 25,000 tonnes to 85,000 tonnes while Iceland increased its 2010 quota by 6,500 per cent from 2,000 to 130,000 tonnes.
Mr Stevenson said: “The meetings were very constructive, and provided the opportunity to raise our grave concerns over mackerel quotas with the Faroese ministers.
“I reiterated that a solution must be found to the current impasse or all of us; the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands will suffer in the long term if mackerel stock continues to be overfished at current levels.
“The ministers stressed their severe disappointment at the EU’s decision to slam the door on negotiations over mackerel quotas. And whilst such action undoubtedly hampers efforts to continue dialogue, two wrongs do not make a right – the Faroese should not have used this as an excuse to implement their own mackerel quotas.
“Their claims that Norway and EU manipulated the mackerel quotas require further investigation, but once again, the Faroese should not have used this alleged misconduct as an excuse to recklessly flout the rules themselves.
“I hope that these talks have paved the way for further honest and transparent discussions on mackerel quotas. I have suggested that the ministers come and talk to the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee in the near future to explain their side of the story.
“Ongoing dialogue is essential if this matter is to be resolved and I hope today was the first step to reaching a solution.”
He added that Faroese fishermen had said mackerel were so abundant in their waters that it was difficult for them to fish without catching the species.
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