Brussels, 01/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - A European Commission representative said on the evening of Monday 30 August, that a technical meeting with Faroe Islands authorities would take place at the end of next week to discuss management of mackerel fishing rights in the waters of the North-East Atlantic (see EUROPE 10202). This issue will also be discussed at an international conference on the mackerel fishery, which will take place in the same Faroe Islands from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 September. The Faroe Isles were roundly criticised by the European Commission and by some EU countries after they allocated themselves fishing rights of 85,000 tonnes of mackerel in 2010 - over three times their quotas in recent years. Iceland unilaterally increased its quota to a significant 130,000 tonnes.
At the last meeting of the European Parliament fisheries committee on Monday 30 August, Diane Dodds (non-attached, UK) said that the pelagic industry in North-West Europe, including in Norway, had been working hard over the last 10 years to manage mackerel stocks sustainably under the terms of an agreement, which was concluded in 1999 and expired at the end of 2009, among coastal states. This agreement no longer exists and talks to extend the arrangements have hitherto proved fruitless. The Faroe Islands and Iceland have allocated themselves such high quotas that, between them, they have claimed 35% of the amount that is usually allocated to the coastal states as a whole, Dodds said. She went as far as to encourage the Scottish fishermen to continue their action (preventing Icelandic and Faroese vessels landing their mackerel catches). She argued for sanctions against Iceland and the Faroe Isles. By failing to comply with international agreements, Iceland was endangering discussions on its accession to the EU, Dodds said in conclusion. (L.C./transl.rt)