News / Mackerel stocks remain under pressure
MACKEREL stocks in northern waters face another year of overfishing as the two sides in the dispute call for new talks on the environmentally and economically damaging issue.
On Friday morning the EU and Norway agreed a 15 per cent cut in their mackerel catch during bilateral negotiations held this week in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland.
The cut, in line with scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), allows their fishing boats to catch almost 500,000 tonnes of mackerel in 2013.
This is a 90 per cent share of the ICES recommended maximum catch of 542,000 mackerel, the historic division the two have enjoyed.
The other 10 per cent goes to Iceland and Faroe who look set to repeat last year’s performance which saw the maximum recommended catch exceeded by 160,000 tonnes.
Last year ICES’ recommended 639,000 tonnes could be sustainably caught, but with Iceland taking 45,000 tonnes and Faroe 148,375 tonnes, the total went up to around 800,000 tonnes.
Scottish fishing secretary Richard Lochhead said this year’s 15 per cent cut was necessary due to the “significant overfishing being caused by Iceland and Faroes’ unsustainable fishing of large unilateral quotas”.
“It is not right that our fishermen are suffering due to their irresponsible behaviour,” he said.
“It is disappointing that last year we were not able to reach an agreement with Iceland and the Faroe Islands. We would like them to come back to the table to negotiate but with sensible proposals this time.”
Iceland agreed that negotiations to resolve the impasse should recommence, but from the opposite perspective.
Industries and innovation minister Steingrimur J. Sigfusson said the coastal states must work as “partners” to reduce the total catch to a sustainable level.
“This is why Iceland has repeatedly come to the negotiating table with reasonable, science-based quota proposals,” he said.
He expressed disappointment that the EU and Norway had insisted on maintaining their historic 90 per cent share of the mackerel catch.
“This ignores the changed migration pattern of the mackerel stock and the fact that the mackerel exists in considerable quantity in the jurisdiction of other states.
“In fact, in 2012 there were 1.5 million tonnes of mackerel in Icelandic waters where it gained approximately 50 per cent weight, according to scientific research.
“The key to solving the mackerel dispute is to take into account these changed circumstances and respect the legitimate interests of all coastal states.
“We have continually offered proposals that are fair to all coastal states and will protect the stock.
“We hope that the EU and Norway will work with us to find a permanent and sustainable solution, and remain willing to solve the issue at the negotiating table. “That is in the interest of all of us as well as the mackerel stock.”
Mackerel is the most valuable fish to the Scottish fishing industry, worth around £164 million a year, and Shetland is one of its most important desinations.
Last year, mackerel worth £56 million was landed in Lerwick alone. Scottish Fishing Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong said that the 90 per cent quota agreement was “sensible”.
“It was important that nothing was done to reward the irresponsible over-fishing of the stock by Iceland and the Faroes,” he said.
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