Brussels, 17/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The fisheries ministers of several EU countries called on Monday 16 July for sanctions to be imposed on Iceland for overfishing mackerel stocks. With a new regulation providing for penalties against non-EU countries which engage in overfishing due to come into force towards the end of September, the EU will have at its disposal means of penalising Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Ireland, supported by Portugal, Spain and France, asked the European Commission for information on trade measures that it could potentially put in place against Icelandic and Faroese fishermen. The Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom also called on the Commission to be firm in dealing with Iceland's and the Faroe Islands' unilateralism on mackerel fishing. Sweden and Finland were more restrained, stating that attempts should be made to find a compromise before moving on to sanctions. Both Iceland and the Faroe Islands have sharply increased their mackerel quotas since 2010, arguing that the stocks have migrated northwards as a result of climate change. Several times the EU and Norway have tried to reach agreement with these two countries on sustainable joint management of the mackerel stocks, but always without success. EU fishermen cannot be asked to do more to ensure sustainable fishing, “when some non-EU countries show no regard for the resource or for their international commitments”, diplomatic sources say. According to European Commission figures, the total catches of mackerel set by the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands for 2012 are 36% above the level recommended by scientists, and this figure does not take account of Russian catches. With no agreement in place on joint management of the stock, the catch rate for mackerel far exceeds safe biological limits, the Commission says. The new regulation which is expected to be adopted by the European Parliament and Council in September will allow the EU to impose sanctions on third countries the fishing practices of which endanger the viability of a fish stock. Sanctions could be restrictions on imports of fisheries products or restrictions on the use of EU ports by vessels of the countries involved. The EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands will try again in London in September to overcome their differences. The Commission is not hopeful of being able to persuade the Faroe Islands but is a little more optimistic of its chances with Iceland, which is currently negotiating accession to the EU. (LC/transl.rt)