Brussels, 28/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Thanks to a scientific opinion recommending an increase in fishing possibilities, discussions between coastal states on mackerel, which are soon to resume, are less tense.
On 23 and 24 October, the coastal states (the European Union, the Faroe Isles, Iceland and Norway) discussed management measures to be set in place in 2014 for mackerel fishing in the waters of the North-East Atlantic (observers from Greenland and Russia were also invited to the meeting, under the aegis of the EU).
The talks focused mainly on the latest scientific opinion of the ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea), which authorises a significant increase in fishing possibilities as compared to 2013. The parties also discussed enhancing scientific cooperation between the parties and improving control of the fishing activities. It was agreed that these consultations would resume again during the coming weeks. In the view of Maria Damanaki, the European Commissioner for Fisheries, there is now “a window of opportunity for resolving the long-standing dispute between the parties on this very important fish stock”. Readers may recall that the EU (plus Norway) are challenging the sizeable quotas that the Faroe Isles and Iceland have allocated themselves since 2009, outside the framework of any international agreement. (LC/transl.fl)