The EU pelagic fishing sector as the Northern Pelagic Working Group is appalled by the blue whiting agreement that was signed between the EC and Norway on 15th December and presented to the Council during the final phase of the December Council meeting.
According to the NPWG, an urgent meeting with EU Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella is being sought.
‘The pelagic industry in the EU not only has invested an enormous amount of time and effort in developing a human consumption blue whiting fishery over the years but also has contributed greatly in developing sound, long-term management of this stock,’ a NPWG spokesman said.
The bilateral deal on blue whiting between the European Commission and Norway has outraged the pelagic industry because it is unbalanced, nonR08;transparent and very far from what the EU industry demanded both in terms of form and numbers.
‘This is why we are urgently seeking a meeting with EU Fisheries Commissioner Vella on this issue,’ commented the NPWG spokesman.
