The Faroe Shipowners' Association Charman claims the Faroese mackerel fishery is painstakingly regulated. (Photo: huginn.is)

Faroes justify their mackerel quota

FAROE ISLANDS
Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The European Commission (EC) has expressed serious concern over the Faroe Islands’ 2010 unilateral mackerel quota of 85,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the Faroe Shipowners’ Association stated that the Faroe Islands was forced to establish its own quota once excluded from this year’s NE Atlantic mackerel agreement by the European Union (EU) and Norway.

“Much of the debate surrounding the current mackerel issue has been misguided, in particular the anger directed at the Faroe Islands and Iceland over the lack of international agreement on the management of the mackerel stock,” the association claimed on Monday.

The 85,000 tonne quota is three times the level of Faeroese traditional quota entitlement per multilateral management arrangements between the EU, Norway and Faeroe Islands in effect from 1999-2009, the EC noted.

This unilateral action, the EC pointed out, clashes with the positive move the Faeroes had made with the EU in replenishing this mackerel stock, which is vital to the EU pelagic fishing fleet and industry. This unilateral decision by the Faeroes surprised the EC because discussions last month had indicated the Islands’ support for the Commission’s efforts to manage the stock sustainably.

But the Faroese Government, the association asserted, “acted both sensibly and responsibly” by setting the Islands’ mackerel quota in keeping its requested share of the international quota as determined from the scientifically advised total allowable catch (TAC) of 572,000 tonnes.

Faroe Shipowners’ Association Chairman Viberg Sørensen said the Faroese mackerel fishery is fully legal and painstakingly regulated.

“Good fisheries management is not an option but a necessity of life here,” Sørensen assured.

But Commissioner Maria Damanaki said the rising pattern of unjustifiably high mackerel fishing quotas set by Iceland and now by Faeroe Islands for this year opposes the affirmed objective of sustainable fisheries management. Actions like these put the NE Atlantic mackerel stock in jeopardy, and this would adversely affect all the relevant fleets and industries.

Damanaki informed that the EU will send an unambiguous message to the Faeroe Islands this week and would seek early consultations between the concerned parties to set the NE Atlantic mackerel stock management on a sustainable basis again.

However, the EC warned that if the current trend in the mackerel fisheries continues, it will consider all necessary measures to preserve the mackerel stock and protect the EU’s interests.

"We will put all our efforts into ending this untenable situation by trying to come to an agreement with all states fishing on the north eastern mackerel stock. Should our efforts however not be fruitful I cannot guarantee that we will continue to exchange fishing possibilities with the Faeroe Islands and Iceland in 2011," said Damanaki.

Related articles:

- EU pelagic fishers fight Iceland, Faroes' mackerel policy
- Mackerel fishery risks losing MSC certification
- Iceland, Faroes' mackerel quotas threaten Scottish fishery

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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