Brussels, 31/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 31 July, the committee on fisheries and aquaculture of the EU supported a proposal issued by the services of Commissioner for Fisheries Maria Damanaki, aiming to bring in trade measures against the Faroe Isles for the overfishing of Antlanto-Scandian herring. The country is criticised for having left the negotiating table on herring stock management and, in particular, for having awarded itself an enormous quota of herring for 2013 (see EUROPE 10848).
The sanctions, which have still to be discussed and adopted by the European Commission, include restrictions on imports of herring and associated species caught by the Faroe Isles, as well as restrictions on access to the ports of the European Union for vessels of the Faroe Isles, other than for reasons of safety. The Commission's decision is likely to be made during the month of August.
The stocks of Atlanto-Scandian herring are fished by Norway, the Russian Federation, Iceland, the Faroe Isles and the European Union, in line with the management measures laid down by common accord in consultations between these countries. The Faroe Isles decided against taking part in the consultations on the management of the stocks for 2013 and awarded themselves a quota 145% higher than their quota for 2012, even though the other parties to this fishery had agreed to a 26% reduction in their quotas in order to protect stocks.
The trade measures to be approved by the EU are based on Regulation 1026/2012, which provides for measures to be adopted against countries which do not cooperate with the EU in the framework of the management of stocks of common interest and which adopt management measures which endanger fish stocks. The trade measures against the Faroe Isles on herring may, for example, follow the model used in the “mackerel wars” between the EU and Norway in one corner and Iceland and the Faroe Isles in the other. Within the Commission, however, there are doubts as to whether a measure of this kind would be justified. In order to be credible, the EU's own behaviour needs to be above reproach. Even though it is invoking low stock levels, it set its own 2013 quota at the same level as in 2012 instead of reducing it. (LC/transl.fl)