Fishermen Represented At Mackerel Discussion

Scottish fishermen will be represented at key meetings in Brussels today (Tuesday 26 July) involving the EU and Norwegian pelagic industries and EU fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki to discuss the current extremely serious mackerel situation, with the Faroes and Iceland continuing to plunder the stock with immunity.

The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations says: This is the fourth summer for Iceland and the second summer for the Faroes that both fishing nations have allowed a virtually limitless mackerel fisheries in their waters based on enormous autonomous mackerel quotas."

Both countries are acting completely outside the current management plan for this stock and outside the scientific advice given by the International Council of the Exploration of the Sea."

"For the Norwegian and European pelagic industries the mackerel stock is their lifeblood and the lack of effective measures by the EU and Norway aimed at bringing both countries to the negotiating table with a more constructive attitude is disappointing.

Both the EU and Norwegian industries have requested these urgent meetings to discuss a joint approach to redress the situation. Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermens Association, will be representing Scotland at the talks.