On Monday 27 October in Luxembourg, several EU fisheries ministers deplored the unsustainable fishing by certain third countries that is depleting pelagic stocks (mackerel, blue whiting) in the North East Atlantic.
Ireland’s minister, Timmy Dooley, stressed that the EU’s efforts to manage stocks sustainably “will be in vain if we stand by and allow other coastal states to continue their irresponsible behaviour”.
As the main holder of mackerel quotas in the EU, Ireland has reiterated its concerns about the practices of Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, which it believes set “excessive, unjustified and unsustainable quotas”. The Irish document on this subject was co-signed by Poland and Slovenia.
Norway’s behaviour is seen as particularly worrying, especially given its close partnership with the European Union, which does not appear to extend to fisheries.
Several ministers have called for the measures provided for (in Regulation 1026/2012) for the conservation of fish stocks to be activated against third countries that allow unsustainable fishing.
European Commissioner for Fisheries Costas Kadis expressed serious concerns about the worrying state of pelagic stocks in the region. Mr Kadis will continue to press for solutions with the countries concerned. The EU must protect its interests, he insisted, stressing that it would use all the means at its disposal, including the regulation against unsustainable fishing (see EUROPE 13714/34).
See the Irish note: https://aeur.eu/f/j5r (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)