The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) presented, on Tuesday 10 October, its position with a view to negotiations with Coastal States on pelagic stocks for 2024, in which it calls on the EU to take action against the unilateral quotas decided by Norway in particular (see EUROPE 13252/6).
Highest priority must be given to reaching an agreement on how the mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring stocks are to be shared between all parties, “based on genuine historic track records and interest”, according to the EAPO.
This supports the introduction of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) at the levels advised by scientists: mackerel (-5%, 739,386 t), blue whiting (+12.5%, 1.5 million t), Atlanto-Scandian herring (-24%, 390,010 t), North Sea herring (+28.3%, 532,166 t), North Sea horse mackerel (+8.5%, 9,730 t) and greater silversmelt (+3.6%, 17,695 t).
For Western horse mackerel, the organisation states that a provisional TAC should be set and that alternatives to a zero catch TAC should be explored. Finally, the 2024 EU-Norway bilateral agreement should, in its view, provide for a “sharp reduction in EU blue whiting catches” and the restoration of full EU access to the Atlanto-Scandian herring fishery in Norwegian waters.
For further details: https://aeur.eu/f/907 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)