Fresh and crucial talks which are aimed at settling the ongoing mackerel quotas wrangle which is infuriating Scottish fishermen, are set to get underway on Oslo today.
Officials from the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroes have been trying to agree a deal on catch quotas for next year 2011.
Iceland and the Faroes earlier sparked outrage by unilaterally setting mackerel quotas in their own waters.
Previous talks ended with out agreement and now new talks are to be held in Oslo.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said the crucial talks provided the final chance to try and reach agreement this year.
He warned however that failure to agree a deal would fuel uncertainty in the Scottish mackerel fleet over the amount of fish they would be allowed to catch next year.
Mr Gatt said: “This is the last opportunity this year to try to strike a deal for the 2011 fishery. Our fishermen have complex and challenging businesses to run and failure to reach agreement this week will result in great anxiety and make it very difficult for skippers to plan ahead. Any deal must ensure that mackerel is harvested at sustainable level whilst at the same time protecting the rights of those who have traditionally fished for mackerel in the north east Atlantic.
“Future of an extremely valuable natural resource is at stake during these talks and it is vital that any agreement does not jeopardise our rightful share of the fishery”.
Richard Lochhead MSP SNP Scottish Fisheries Minister said : “ These complex and marathon negotiations are continuing and no matter how long it takes we must remain focussed on the outcome, which is the sustainable management of the mackerel fishery next year and beyond.
“ Our priority remain a new four-way agreement to protect a vital mackerel stock that Scotland, Norway and the EU have managed sustainable. We will not do a deal at any price and must send out the message that the setting of huge unilateral quotas will be rewarded.
Fishermen blockaded a Faroese trawler tryimng to land its catch in Peterhead recently as a result of the dispute.
Next week talks between the EU and Norway get underway as part of the process of deciding quotas for key North Sea fish Stocks.
