Negotiations on mackerel fishing begin in London today. They are attended by representatives of Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands and the European Union. Russia has an observing representative.
From London. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Fridrik Jón Arngrímsson, the managing director of the Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners (LÍÚ), told mbl.is that the EU’s attitude indicates that no agreement can be reached at the meeting.
“There have been significant differences until now and it is clear that our negotiation partners have to approach the matter with a different attitude,” Arngrímsson commented.
“The goal ahead is to meet midway but it has to be on terms that we can accept. The differences have been extensive and with that in mind, I’m not optimistic. But we’ll see,” he added.
Along with Arngrímsson, Tómas H. Heidar, who represents Iceland in the International Whaling Commission, Steinar Ingi Matthíasson, who represents the Ministry of Fisheries in Brussels, Eythór Björnsson, head of the Directorate of Fisheries, and Jóhann Sigurjónsson, director of the Icelandic Marine Research Institute, are attending the meeting.
Arngrímsson said he is not going to give in too much during the mackerel talks. “If agreements are to be reached, everyone has to reassess the situation. We didn’t come here to return with little or nothing.”
Click here to read more about the mackerel dispute.
