Brussels, 01/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 31 March, the European Commission welcomed the agreements on the fisheries in 2014 for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring in the waters of the north-east Atlantic. The coastal states reached a compromise on the subject on 28 March.
The EU, the Faroe Isles, Iceland and Norway agreed on a total allowable catch (TAC) of 1.2 million tonnes for blue whiting for 2014. The quota for the countries of the EU will be 331,348 tonnes, or almost twice the volume in force for 2013. The Commission states that this increase in catch reflects the improved condition of the stock. The coastal states also agreed to coordinate scientific research in order to “improve the assessment and management of the blue whiting stock”, the Commission adds. The EU has indicated its intention of renegotiating the current quota-sharing agreement between the coastal states, in light of the recent report of the NEAFC (North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission) on the blue whiting stock distribution. The report demonstrated the concentration of the stock and fisheries in the waters of the EU.
As regards Atlanto-Scandian herring, four coastal states (the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Russia) have agreed on an arrangement for 2014 establishing a TAC of 418,487 tonnes (with a quota of 27,244 tonnes for the EU). The Faroe Isles was not in a position to come on board in this arrangement at this time. However, the other coastal states did agree to set aside a quantity of 21,594 tonnes for the Faroe Isles (which is based on the sharing agreement for this species concluded in 2007). (LC)