The Faroe Shipowners’ Association (FSA) on Monday said the Faeroe Islands had “no choice” but to set its own quota when faced with exclusion from this year’s Atlantic mackerel agreement between the European Union and Norway.
Tensions over Atlantic mackerel have been rising since both the Faeroes and Iceland decided to significantly increase their 2010 mackerel quotas to 85,000 metric tons and 130,000 metric tons, respectively.
In late July, the European Association of Fish Producer Organizations (EAFPO) called the quotas “outrageous,” claming they defy international management arrangements, threaten the health of the mackerel stock and borderline on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The EAFPO then urged European Union Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki to take action against both countries.
But on Monday, the FSA said much of the debate surrounding mackerel has been “misguided,” particularly the anger directed at the Faeroes and Iceland over the lack of an international agreement on the management of the mackerel stock. The FSA asserted that the Faroese government acted “sensibly and responsibly” when it set the country’s 2010 mackerel quota.
“The EU and Norway allotted themselves 10 percent more than the total catch recommended by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea [572,000 metric tons] for the entire mackerel stock, disregarding any share for the Faroes, Iceland or Russia. Viewed in this light, the steps taken to blockade our ships from landing, not to mention the proposed boycott of our seafood exports, are manifestly unfair,” said FSA Chairman Viberg Sørensen.
“Our government can hardly be blamed for the collapse of the multilateral negotiations this year,” he added. “They tried as late as in June to reach an agreement for 2010 but to no avail. They have acted both sensibly and responsibly in a difficult situation. Now we hope all of the coastal states will do their part to ensure that an agreement will be reached for the 2011 season.”
Sørensen called the Faroese mackerel fishery “fully legal and thoroughly regulated.”
“Good fisheries management is not an option but a necessity of life here,” he said.
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