Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, says these crucial talks will provide the last opportunity to try and reach agreement this year.
And he warns that failure to agree a deal will fuel uncertainty in the Scottish mackerel fleet over the amount of fish they will be allowed to catch next year.
“This is the last opportunity this year to try and strike a deal for the 2011 fishery, he says.
“Our fishermen have complex and challenging businesses to run and failure to reach agreement this week will result in great anxiety and make it very difficult for skippers to plan ahead.”
He added: “Any deal must ensure that mackerel is harvested at sustainable levels whilst at the same time protecting the rights of those who have traditionally fished for mackerel in the north-east Atlantic.
“The future of an extremely valuable natural resource is at stake during these talks and it is vital that any agreement does not jeopardise our rightful share of the fishery.”
New Round Of Mackerel Talks Resume
EU - A new round of talks between the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroes to try and break the impasse in the dispute over mackerel catching opportunities for 2011 will get underway in Oslo tomorrow (25 November).
