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THE ongoing Iceland mackerel dispute took on a new intensity ahead of a meeting in Aberdeen today between Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead and representatives of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association.
Scotland's mackerel fishermen are worried that new talks between Iceland and the Faroe Islands on one side and the EU and Norway on the other, due to get underway in the Irish Republic next month, will lead to them losing a large share of their own mackerel quota.
Mackerel ranks alongside white fish in importance and is worth over £113-million a year to the Scottish economy as well as being a major earner for the country's fishing fleet.
And Mr Lochhead turned up the heat yesterday by accusing Iceland and the Faroes, who have both handed themselves large mackerel quotas, of "bullying tactics" throughout the 18 month long dispute.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association, said: ""Iceland and the Faroes have massively increased their mackerel catches. The Scottish pelagic industry needs an agreement on mackerel, but a deal should be fair and equitable based on fishing practices undertaken over many years. Iceland and the Faroes must realise that they are putting the sustainability of a previously well-managed stock in grave danger."
Mr Gatt said setting quota shares on how much fish a country catch when the mackerel stock is in its waters, as undertaken by Iceland and Faroe Islands was simply not an option.
If the European Union and Norwegian fleets used such an unsustainable approach there would be no mackerel left to swim in Icelandic and Faroese waters, he maintained " Iceland and the Faroes must realise that they are putting the sustainability of a previously well-managed stock in grave danger."
Scottish fishermen will argue strong in Aberdeen today that any move by the EU allowing access to Scottish waters would amount to rewarding irresponsible behaviour. The SPFA will urge Mr Lochhead to work closely with Irish fisheries minister Simon Coveney to ensure the EU does not jeopardise the viability of the two countries' mackerel fleets.
Mr Lochhead said: "I have always been very clear that the Scottish Government's main priority from the mackerel negotiations is to achieve an international agreement that will safeguard the future of the stock and therefore the viability of the industry.
"However, I have also been categorical in that we cannot do a deal at any price and the bullying tactics of Iceland and the Faroes, in setting their own huge quotas, cannot be rewarded.
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