The European Union is under pressure by fishing companies in northern Europe which base their livelihood on mackerel to use sanctions and business coercions against Iceland and the Faroe Island for mackerel fishing.
Icelandic fishing boats. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The fishing companies’ executives are mostly angered by the 135,000 mackerel quota issued by Icelandic fishing authorities without agreement with other mackerel fishing nations and the 85,000 unilateral quota issued by Faroese authorities, visir.is reports.
On fishupdate.com, Gerard van Balsfoort, chair of the European association’s Northern Pelagic Working Group is quoted saying:
“The EU must be prepared to stand up for and protect Community pelagic fishermen against this outrageous behaviour. We are not prepared to stand idly by what is happening now and we will not accept any mackerel quota reductions, caused by the irresponsible overfishing carried out by both countries.”
Norway, a non-EU member, is also involved in the debate. The country’s fisheries minister stated last weekend that Icelandic and Faroese mackerel fishing was irresponsible.
Click here to read more about mackerel fishing in Iceland and here to read the story on fishupdate.com in full.
