Brussels, 03/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations with Atlantic coastal third countries are still in deadlock and the EU is losing patience, said Commissioner Franz Fischler on Monday. Given the impossibility of reaching agreement with the other parties (Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Russia) and backed up by favourable scientific data, the EU has decided to increase fishing opportunities by 350,000 tonnes (to just under 750,000 tonnes) for blue whiting in 2004, after an increase of 250,000 tonnes last year.
"Over the last seven years, the Commission has encouraged the other parties in question to agree on a realistic and fair sharing of blue whiting fishing opportunity", said Dr Fischler, pointing out that the EU has "unilaterally limited" its catches for several years, unlike the other parties. "The EU is starting to lose patience", warned the Commissioner, which also explains the EU's decision to increase its total allowable catch (TAC) of blue whiting by 350,000 tonnes (a level approaching catch opportunities of the 1990s). "I now call upon our partners to recognise that the continuing deadlock is unacceptable and unjustified, and to come to the negotiating table in a realistic and constructive spirit so that we can conclude an agreement ensuring the long-term future of this fishery", continued Dr Fischler, concluding: "the time is ripe for such an agreement, as stocks are currently healthy".
Since 1997, international catches of blue whiting have tripled, going from 650,000 tonnes in the mid-1990s to over 2 million tonnes in 2003. This is in contrast with the non-attributed total allowable catch of 650,000 tonnes, which the competent regional fishery organisation, the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) has set since 1994. Most community boats fish for blue whiting (Spain, Denmark, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Germany, Portugal, and, to a lesser extent, Sweden).