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Pete Bevington
27 January, 2010
MACKEREL quotas are to be cut by five per cent in return for
a 10 year deal with Norway over access to the most valuable
fish species in the North Sea, after talks with the European
Union culminated last night.
An unprecedented six weeks of negotiations ended with the
most complex agreement Europe and Norway have ever reached,
which includes a 16.5 per cent increase in the North Sea cod
quota.
The annual talks broke down in December before the EU’s
fisheries council decided on this year’s quotas for fishing
vessels, causing uncertainty throughout the industry.
The final outcome, which will allow Shetland trawlers to
increase the percentage of mackerel they catch in the North
Sea while giving Norwegians greater access to EU waters, was
given a cautious welcome by fishing leaders.
After reconvening last week, the two sides hammered out an
agreement that will see them uniting to take up cudgels
against Iceland, who are being universally condemned for the
amount of mackerel they have been catching to help with the
country’s financial crisis.
The Scottish government said the agreement allows for:
• a 16.5 per cent quota increase for North Sea cod;
• the go ahead for a "catch quota" initiative for North Sea
cod to continue to reward fishermen for cutting discards;
• an unprecedented 500 tonne transfer of North Sea whiting
from Norway to the EU as well as agreement to develop a long
term management plan for the stock;
• agreement that all the other jointly managed stocks (North
Sea herring, saithe, plaice and haddock) should have their
total allowable catches (TACs) set by long-term management
plan;
• a 10 year deal for mackerel, which will help towards
ending uncertainties around its management, including how to
tackle Iceland's massive overfishing;
• arrangements for Scottish vessels fishing for mackerel in
Norwegian waters and vice versa;
• harmonised starting dates for EU and Norwegian mackerel
fisheries, to prevent Norwegian boats from having an unfair
competitive edge; and
• a five per cent cut in the mackerel TAC
Fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead said: "This was a
particularly tough, complex and intense set of talks. I am
proud that officials and the industry worked together to
secure the best possible deal for Scottish fishermen,
including an increase in North Sea cod quota. |
"No country goes home with
everything they want, especially with such complex and
difficult issues and so many countries involved. Our guiding
principle throughout was a determination to secure a deal,
but not at any price, and we refused to buckle under
pressure.
"Certain elements designed to conserve vulnerable fish
stocks will be unwelcome to parts of the Scottish fleet.
However, we have won broad agreement between the EU and
Norway on how best to tackle the serious long term dangers
to the sustainability of the mackerel stock - potentially a
major breakthrough, and cause for optimism for our fleets.
"There was a great deal at
stake for both our pelagic and whitefish sectors, which
support the businesses, jobs and infrastructure that are so
crucial to our coastal communities. That's why I'm
particularly pleased that a new long-term deal has been
secured for mackerel, which in 2009 became Scotland's most
valuable stock."
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie
Armstrong, who attended the talks in Brussels, gave the deal
his reserved approval.
“The problem right from the start was access for Norwegian
vessels to complete fishing their mackerel quota and what we
have got is a tem year bilateral agreement to continue to
fish mackerel sustainably.
“The detail of the plan won’t be to everyone’s liking, but
we now have a plan in place that will allow everybody to
turn their minds to dealing with Iceland and their
ridiculous behaviour with regard to the catching of
mackerel.”
Shetland Fishermen’s Association chief executive Hansen
Black said the deal would benefit the local pelagic fleet,
as it would allow them greater access to mackerel when they
were in the North Sea, which is when they in their best
condition and most valuable.
“Last year we could catch 30 per cent of our mackerel quota
in the North Sea. This year that’s increased to 40 per cent.
It’s important for us to get greater access to catch them
while they are swimming past the islands,” he said.
The mackerel season has also been brought forward by one
month, starting on 1 September instead of 1 October.
Mr Black said there would be further negotiations with the
EU in Brussels to increase the percentage even further.
He added: “It is crucial that we had a deal in place that
protects that stock in the long term. We welcome the long
term deal, but some of our fishermen may be concerned about
the level of access that Norway is getting.” |
