Despite many statements decrying the state of the mackerel stock, the KFO was dismayed to learn that the Coastal States failed once again to make any progress at the latest talks held during last week’s annual meeting of North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). Despite a solid proposal from the EU delegation to set the mackerel total allowable catch (TAC) in line with the scientific advice, along with accompanying management measures, the other states involved – UK, Norway, Faroes, Iceland and Greenland – walked away from this proposal and chose instead, to meet privately without the EU to work on a “sweetheart deal” in a further attempt to isolate the EU.
The result is that there is still no clarity for the Irish pelagic industry on fishing opportunities for 2026, leaving fishing plans uncertain at a time when the fleet will struggle to survive with the huge quota cuts being faced. There is also deep concern in the KFO that the isolation of the EU will see the other parties continue to systematically overfish mackerel by setting unilateral, inflated TACs in excess of the scientific advice. This will be to the detriment of the stock and to the future of the pelagic industry.
In addition to talks on mackerel management, the NEAFC meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss improved management of other pelagic stocks under the remit of NEAFC. However, to add insult to injury, outside of mackerel, some delegations chose to openly support the Russian Federation over the EU. They refused to agree on a proposed ban on transhipment of catches at sea put forward by the EU, as well as proposals put forward by the EU to reduce fishing in international waters. There was also no agreement on a sharing arrangement for blue whiting where once again several parties chose to protect Russian interests by voting against an EU proposal for sustainable management.
The KFO believes the events in London at NEAFC show that diplomacy has not and will not solve the crisis now unfolding for mackerel. It is time for the EU to act and to apply targeted trade measures against third countries that do not cooperate in managing shared fish stocks as allowed for under recently adopted EU legislation.
