From 1 April this year they will have access to Faroese waters with fishing opportunities available to them worth an estimated £3 million which will also reduce pressure on our north Sea and West Coast fisheries. The talks took place after a four year hiatus as a result of the recent mackerel international agreement.
Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “I welcome the first EU/Faroe agreement since 2010 which will soon allow Scottish fishermen much needed access to Faroese waters. This will bring further security to our industry following the historic international mackerel agreement. For four years they have, through no doing of their own, been denied access to waters and quotas that will now be made available again.
“As an added benefit, this will of course reduce some of the fishing pressure on our North sea and West Coast grounds. This provides significant fresh and new opportunities and perhaps, more importantly, some much needed flexibility for vessels deciding where they fish. These EU negotiations with the Faroe Islands are always tricky and involve give and take but our industry now has certainty to move forward.”
The agreement now adds extra quota for the Scottish fleet available in Faroese waters. The breakdown for the UK fleet is as follows (in tonnes):
- Flatfish - 204
- Others - 189
- Redfish - 14
- Saithe - 696
- Ling & blue ling - 85.5
- Cod & haddock - 817
- Blue whiting - 880
