UK body calls for BFFF to bar Faroese firms

Representatives of the U.K. pelagic industry, worth almost GBP 500 million (USD 782.5 million, EUR 589.4 million) to the U.K. economy, have written to the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) asking it to bar Faroese seafood companies from its membership in light of the Faroese decision to award itself a huge share of the mackerel and herring fisheries.

The Scottish Pelagic Processors Association (SPPA), which represents mackerel and herring processors and has a close working relationship with U.K. pelagic fishermen, wrote to the BFFF following last week’s news Faroe Seafood — part of Bakkafrost, the largest farmed salmon producer in the Faroe Isles — has re-joined its membership.

“I am alarmed the BFFF has accepted a membership application from Faroe Group when there is an ongoing high-profile dispute with the Faroe Isles,” said Ian McFadden, SPPA chairman. “The Faroe Isles continues to award itself a huge share of the mackerel fishery. They have done this without any agreement from the EU and Norway, which have previously worked together under a coastal states agreement to ensure the long term sustainability of the stock. In light of this the Marine Conservation Society recently graded both Faroese and Icelandic mackerel as unsustainable.

“The Faroe Isles continues to award itself a huge share of the mackerel fishery. They have done this without any agreement from the EU and Norway, which have previously worked together under a coastal states agreement to ensure the long-term sustainability of the stock. In light of this the Marine Conservation Society recently graded both Faroese and Icelandic mackerel as unsustainable.

“Faroe have now declared a 145 percent increase on their quotas of Atlanto-Scandian herring for 2013. The other nations that fish this declining herring stock had agreed to each take a 26 percent decrease from their 2012 quotas.

“Farmed salmon produced in the Faroe Isles is fed on fish meal produced from Mackerel, Herring and trimmings from processing these fish which means that, through BFFF’s new member, Faroese mackerel and herring will enter the UK food chain. Surely that should be avoided.

“I have written to the BFFF and really hope they see sense and withdraw Faroe Seafood’s application in support of British mackerel and herring.”

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