Brussels, 27/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 26 August, Iceland, following the Faroe Islands the previous day (see EUROPE 10201 and 10200), rejected EU claims that it was overfishing mackerel. Icelandic Fisheries Minister Jon Bjarnason said that “we are fishing mackerel that comes up to the coast in great quantity … and according to international laws, we as a coastal country may fish in our jurisdiction”.
In 1999, Iceland, the Faroe Isles, the EU and Norway signed an agreement on managing mackerel quotas. Under this agreement, which expired in 2009, Icelandic fishermen had the right to fish 2,000 tonnes per year. Recently, however, Iceland unilaterally raised its quota to 130,000 tonnes for 2010. “The mackerel is, after all, moving northwards due to rising sea temperatures,” Bjarnason argued in defence of the increased mackerel quota his country allocated itself in 2010. Iceland says it is willing to try to reach agreement with the EU and the other countries concerned (Norway and the Faroe Islands, “but we will do that on our own terms,” the minister stated.
Environmental organisation WWF warns: “If maintained, the combined 2010 mackerel quota set by the various parties will result in the fish being exploited 35% above the scientifically recommended amount by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)” and would sound the death knell of the stock. (L.C./transl.rt)