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FAROE and Iceland have sparked major uncertainties surrounding management of the key North East Atlantic mackerel fishery, a leading industry group has underlined.
In their report to the North East Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership meeting in Aberdeen on Monday, the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SFPA) say the actions of both countries represent a “huge threat” to the viability of the Scottish pelagic sector.
They say the early-year mackerel fishery went well and because of delay this year in finalising total allowable catches with Norway, there will be a significant autumn fishery, with 34,700 tonnes of mackerel still to catch.
But Monday’s meeting will hear that while prices for mackerel have been stable against the background of a strong market, the actions of both Iceland and Faroe are casting a heavy pall over the Scottish pelagic sector’s prospects, given Iceland’s unilateral decision to award itself a hefty mackerel quota for this year of 130,000 tonnes compared with last year’s already bitterly opposed Icelandic catch of 112,000 tonnes.
To add to the crisis, Faroe, who refused to sign up for the annual coastal states mackerel agreement for this year, is seeking a 22% rather than a 3.7% share of the total allowable catch.
The SFPA add: “Mackerel is without doubt the mainstay of the pelagic fleet; the actions of Iceland and Faroe represent a huge threat to the viability of the Scottish pelagic catching and processing industries. Despite numerous meetings to try and resolve the situation, no progress has been made so far.”
The pelagic association’s concerns are echoed in a report to the meeting by Peterhead Port Authority who say that the Icelandic and Faroese mackerel quota increase demands, which they say amount in total tonnage terms to around 250,000 tonnes, are causing “very deep concerns” on the pelagic front.
Pelagic business is a vital part of Peterhead’s success story, but Scottish fishermen have already warned that Iceland’s go-it-alone attitude alone, poses serious threats to the long-term sustainability of the stock as well to the state of the mackerel market which hugely exceeds herring in value terms.
A Scottish Euro MP has already sought reassurances from the EU’s fishing supremo that Europe will not cave in to Iceland and Faroe over the mackerel issue.
MEP Struan Stevenson says both countries justify their actions on the grounds that mackerel migratory patterns have changed in their favour.
But after addressing Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki at a special seminar in the European Parliament Mr Stevenson said recently: “If Iceland and the Faroe press ahead, it will run a cart and horses through our existing agreements on access to this stock and could destroy the fishery. It would be completely irresponsible for Iceland and Faroe to extend their catch in this way and would amount virtually to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
“I am amazed that Iceland is asking us to roll out the red carpet to welcome them as members of the EU, while in return they default on their debts, close our airspace for weeks with volcanic ash and now seek to destroy our mackerel fishery.
“This is outrageous and I trust the Commission will tell them firmly that the EU will not give way on this, there will be no change to the status quo and we will not accept such irresponsible behaviour.”
The Pelagic Regional Advisory Council (PRAC) has already called for immediate action by the European Commission to stop irresponsible setting of unilateral quotas by Iceland- and Norway in the case of horse mackerel- saying that their behaviour puts mackerel and horse mackerel stocks at risk of depletion.
Iceland’s unilateral quota for mackerel of 130,000 tonnes is 23% above the scientific advice. Norway’s unilateral quota for horse mackerel of 100,000 tonnes for this year is, say the pelagic RAC, 55% above the scientific advice.
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