The European Union and Greenland on Monday reached a fisheries partnership agreement that sets fishing quota through the end of 2015.
Over a three-year period beginning on 1 January 2013, EU members will be allowed to catch 85,765 metric tons of fish, slightly less than the 91,700 metric tons of fish in the current three-year deal, which runs through the end of this year.
In return, the EU will provide Greenland no more than EUR 17.8 million annually. Vessel owners are required to pay a license fee to fish in Greenland waters. EU members with interests in the deal are Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal.
As for the fishing quota, the largest by far is capelin at 60,000 metric tons, followed by northern prawn at 10,900 metric tons. Next is Greenland halibut at 6,815 metric tons, pelagic redfish at 3,000 metric tons, cod at 2,200 metric tons, demersal redfish at 2,000 metric tons, Atlantic halibut at 400 metric tons, snow crab at 250 metric tons and grenadier at 200 metric tons.
