As the NEAFC annual meeting in London ended last week without real progress on management of several key target species, European fishing industry body Europêche accuses some parties of failing to work towards improved management of pelagic stocks – instead cold-shouldering each other and apparently embarking on (geo)political games.
‘Proceedings also showed the Russian Federation re-emerging as a pivotal player, openly supported by some of the other delegations,’ Europêche states, commenthing that decision-making in Northeast Atlantic fisheries management has become deeply flawed and needs urgent review.
‘Rather than delivering on much-needed stability and sustainability, parties became stuck in their respective trenches,’ the organisation’s spokesperson said.
The outcome is that there are still no TACs for mackerel and blue whiting, no tighter rules against transhipment and no certainty about submission of Russian catch data – which is seen as crucial for the provision of robust scientific advice.
‘The inability of NEAFC as a body to promote good cooperation and sound, unbiased decision-making contrasts heavily with recent performance of other Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), such as NAFO (North Atlantic) and SPRFMO (South Pacific) and IOTC (Indian Ocean). Sadly, it is also a continuation of failed and contentious bilateral, trilateral and multilateral consultations in the Northeast Atlantic, lacking cohesion. This situation calls for urgent evaluation and independent intervention.’
According to Europêche, the EU became largely isolated at the NEAFC Annual Meeting as discussions frequently went against what it sees as sensible and responsible approaches to management, and catered instead to Russian interests.
‘There really is no good reason why this week did not bring about a blue whiting TAC, which was already pre-conceived at the October Coastal States consultations, or progress on a comprehensive mackerel management package including a TAC, a sharing arrangement and supporting measures such as limiting catches in international waters. The industry requires clarity on the TACs fast, for the sake of its fishing plans for a year in which each part of the fleet will struggle with huge quota cuts’ Europêche states.
The EU sector indicates that discussions on mackerel are ongoing without active participation of the EU and the current chair of these consultations, and Europêche points out that the EU is the only Coastal State that has not departed from the most recent quota sharing arrangement.
‘Others have set excessive unilateral quotas, swapped in part of those inflated quotas or entered into partial agreements cementing these illegitimate track records, thereby all contributing to systematic overfishing. Lack of agreement has also perpetuated indeterminate overfishing by Russia,’ a Europêche representative commented, adding that with the mackerel stock at a critical level, zero-catch advice for 2027 could become reality.
‘Fisheries management in the Northeast Atlantic is at a crossroads. Do we keep fighting small battles – with sometimes huge consequences – on several different battlegrounds? Will parties stay entrenched in positions that only they feel are justified? Neither fish stocks nor fleets, certainly not the EU’s, have benefited from current practices, which have also been fraught with geopolitical tensions,’ said
Tim Heddema, representing the EU sector.
‘It seems the time has come to take a fresh look at the entirety of our relations and interests and on how a management body like NEAFC can support our cooperation. As an industry, we are ready to play our part as always. In the meantime, all efforts should be undertaken to set a mackerel TAC for 2026 and reach agreement on a comprehensive management package for this key stock.’
