A “behind doors” deal at the fish talks in Brussels provoked an angry reaction from industry.
Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA) chief executive Ian Gatt said a surprise agreement on blue whiting between the European Commission (EC) and Norway was a blow for SPFA members.
The move gave Norway a disproportionate share in the joint fishery, he said, adding: “It is incredible that when the EC is supposed to be acting on behalf of EU member states and the industry they instead, with this behind doors deal, appear to be favouring the Norwegians.”
Industry reaction to the overall quota outcome – delivered after two days of talks – was as mixed as the result itself.
Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “These quota rises for some of our most important stocks is good news for the industry and underlines the sustainable fishing practices of the Scottish fleet.
“Haddock is particularly important for the Scottish industry and this quota increase, along with those for North Sea cod and a number of other species, provides a welcome boost for our fishermen.
“There are, however, challenges for the year ahead, most notably the phased introduction of the discard ban.
“There is still great uncertainty over how this regime will work in practice and it is essential that there is a real degree of flexibility in its management, given the complex mixed fisheries that our demersal (white-fish) fleet operates in.”
Shetland Fishermen’s Association executive officer Simon Collins said the new catch allowances reflected the “robust” nature of most of the key demersal stocks and would bring some good cheer to fishers this Christmas.
But he warned the new year would bring major challenges because of the discard ban, while it was vital to review mackerel fishery access arrangements between the EU and Faroe to “ensure a much fairer distribution of the catch of this high-value species.”
Javier Garat, president of European industry body Europeche, said: “We are hugely disappointed with the commission’s behaviour regarding blue whiting.”
Northern Isles Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael described the negotiations as “a tale of two talks”, thanks to the blue whiting bombshell.
UK Fishing Minister George Eustice said: “This is a great December Council result for UK fishermen.”
“I entered these discussions with the firm belief that any decisions need to support a profitable fishing industry, sustainable fish stocks and a healthy marine environment.
“The significant quota increases we’ve achieved for iconic species like North Sea Cod demonstrates the success of this approach.”