EU, Norway set 2010 fishing quotas

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) on Wednesday said the European Union and Norway finally worked out a bilateral fisheries agreement for this year.

In early December, negotiations between the EU and Norway broke down primarily over mackerel, which prevented the EU from setting quotas in waters it shares with Norway. Talks resumed last week.

And this week, the EU and Norway agreed on a 10-year management plan for mackerel, in which Scotland’s pelagic fleet is the principal player, according to the SFF. In line with the scientific advice they received, the two sides agreed to a 5 percent reduction in the 2010 mackerel quota.

The EU and Norway also came to terms on seven jointly managed stocks, including the 2010 North Sea cod quota, which was increased 16 percent, and the 2010 haddock and whiting quotas, which were each cut 15 percent.

“The sticking point all along has been the matter of access to EU waters for Norway to complete fishing its quota of mackerel, and in return a reasonable longer-term bilateral arrangement for the continued sustainable fishing of this very important stock,” said SFF CEO Bertie Armstrong. “Normally settled on an annual basis, the new agreement will cover a 10-year period, reviewed after five years. This will give some needed certainty to the fishery.”
 
“The matter of access to each others’ water is an important issue as no nation will want to feel that arrangements applying to others fishing in their waters — and to their own vessels fishing traditional waters elsewhere — is anything other than fair and equitable,” added Armstrong. “Not every detail will suit everyone; such is the complexity of the nature of the arrangements.”

Last week, the EU and Faeroe Islands reached an agreement on fishing quotas in waters they share.

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