Scottish pelagic fishers and their EU counterparts have lambasted Norway and Faroe for ignoring international efforts to protect north-east Atlantic mackerel stocks.
The Nordic nations unilaterally increased their annual quotas for mackerel by 55% in 2021 and have maintained catch limits at the same level for a second consecutive year.
A joint statement by the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA) and Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) called it a “wilful attack on the principles of sustainability required to preserve stocks for future generations”.
The statement also took aim at Faroe for transferring 13,000 tonnes of mackerel quota that it cannot catch to the Russian fleet.
This is despite mounting pressure to ban Russian vessels from Faroese waters while their home country wages war in Ukraine.
North-east Atlantic mackerel quotas are meant to be agreed between partners in the shared fishery.
‘Disgraceful move’
SPFA chief executive Ian Gatt said: “This is a disgraceful move by Norway and Faroe.
“The term quota implies some sort of constraint on the amount of fish caught, but this is not so much a quota as a target, well in excess of what either country’s fleet can catch.
“They are looking to protect their fleets and allow their vessels to fish as long and as hard as they can. That is not what sustainability is about.”
The UK and EU are the only ones interested in real sustainability here.”
Ian Gatt, Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association
Mr Gatt added: “Norway in particular has always traded on a good reputation for managing stocks sustainably. This tramples all over that reputation.
“The UK and EU are the only ones interested in real sustainability here.
“As a result we are paying the price, while Norway and Faroe mount a smash and grab raid.”
SFA executive officer Simon Collins urged the UK Government to deny access to Britain’s territorial waters to all third countries seeking to catch mackerel, including Norway and Faroe, unless they sign up to fair shares of sustainable quotas.
Mr Collins added: “Access to UK waters is a vital aspect of this, because the value of mackerel is at its highest when it is around our shores due to the quality of the fish at this stage in their migration.
“That denial of access is the only way we are going to get Norway, Faroe, Iceland and others to agree a sharing arrangement based on where the fish actually are.
“Setting quotas well in excess of what sustainable management requires is irresponsible and short-sighted.”
EU-wide fishing industry bodies Europeche and the European Association of Fish Producers’ Organisations (Eapo) urged Norway and Faroe to “stop their overfishing”.
A joint statement by the two groups added: “We reiterate our call on the EU Commission and the Council to make use of the instruments at their disposal, such as trade measures, for concrete action.
“Right now, responsible EU businesses are at risk of being disadvantaged for doing the right thing.”
It puts unacceptable pressure on a stock that is of great importance for many European fishing nations.”
Tim Heddema, Europeche/Eapo.
The actions of Norway and Faroe “fly in the face of the ongoing efforts to reach agreement on a sharing arrangement between all involved coastal states for the north-east Atlantic mackerel stock,” Europeche said, adding: “At this point only the EU and the UK are sticking with quotas based on the most recent sharing arrangement in place.”
‘Unacceptable pressure’
Tim Heddema, representing both EU organisations, said: “This overfishing remains entirely unjustified and at odds with the sensible and sustainable fisheries management that the world supports and demands.
“It puts unacceptable pressure on a stock that is of great importance for many European fishing nations.
“The EU has plenty of options available to counteract and deter this unacceptable behaviour, such as – but not limited to – using its power as the main market for the other coastal states’ seafood exports. We are calling on the commission for immediate action.”
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