Agreement has been reached on the levels of next year’s TACs for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring – although distribution of quotas between the concerned parties is yet to come.
Agreement on a 929,292 tonne blue whiting TAC was reached between the European Union, Iceland, Norway, the Faroes Islands and the UK, with Greenland and Russia present as observers.
The 651,033 tonne TAC for Atlanto-Scandian herring was agreed by the European Union, the Faroes Islands, Norway, Iceland, Russia and the UK, with Greenland present as an observer.
‘Even though the parties still do not agree on the distribution, it is satisfying that the quotas have been set in accordance with the ICES scientific recommendations and existing management plans,’ commented Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Seafood Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen.
‘Despite the fact that the disagreement on distribution means that more than the total quota that has been set will be fished again this year, both stocks are within safe biological limits. There is no reason to believe that this will change in 2021,’ he added.
Earlier this year the MSC issued a warning to the coastal states that certification for both blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring fisheries risk suspension if the concerned nations continue to allocate quotas that total significantly more than the scientific recommendations. The MSC has already withdrawn certification for north-east Atlantic mackerel fisheries for this reason.
