Based on Coastal State Agreements, management measures for the two major pelagic fisheries – Norwegian Spring Spawning (Atlanto-Scandian) herring and blue whiting – were agreed as were management measures for Rockall haddock and deep-sea fisheries. For pelagic redfish in the Norwegian Sea and for pelagic redfish in the Irminger Sea, arrangements similar to those for 2009 were agreed. With regard to mackerel, meetings allowing continued consultations with a view to reaching agreement on measures that can be adopted by NEAFC later are ongoing.
A ban on using gillnets in waters greater than 200 metres depth was maintained as were measures to remove and dispose of unmarked or illegal fixed gear and retrieve lost gear to minimise ghost fishing.
Considering the poor status of the shark stock of Spurdog (Squalus acanthias) in the Northeast Atlantic, the ban on directed fisheries of spurdog was continued.
NEAFC adopted a ban on discards in NEAFC high seas fisheries.
To protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and in line with scientific advice, NEAFC extended the area closed to fisheries on the Hatton Bank and closed an area south of the Icelandic EEZ known as spawning ground for blue ling. A proposal to extend the closures on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was sent to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea for scientific comments.
NEAFC noted the continued results of the NEAFC IUU (Illegal, Unregulated, Unreported) A- and B-lists. The transhipment activities that underpinned these fisheries have been brought under control by flag states, reefer registries and owners of reefer vessels. The NEAFC Port State Control System, which was introduced on 1 May 2007, has continued to work without problems and is deemed to have led to a significant reduction in unreported catches in the NEAFC area.
Based on information on vessels on the IUU B-list that had sunk or been scrapped, NEAFC removed 10 vessels from the B-list.
In September 2008 NEAFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with its environmental counterpart in the North East Atlantic, the OSPAR Commission (for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic) and the Annual Meeting considered how to make the MoU operational. It was agreed to consider the feasibility of organising a workshop, in collaboration with NAFO and OSPAR, in the first half of 2010 to review respective progress on ecosystem-based area management in international waters in the North Atlantic, with a particular emphasis on defining management objectives.
The cooperative non-Contracting Party status of Belize, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand was renewed for 2010. The Cook Islands have also been a cooperative non-Contracting Party to NEAFC in recent years but had not requested the renewal of that status before the meeting. Cooperative non-Contracting Party status for the Bahamas and Panama is still being considered.
Commenting on these developments at the end of his 3 years as NEAFC President, MrStefán Ásmundsson, Iceland, said: Although we have to admit we were not able to reach agreement in all matters I am confident that Contracting Parties, in the tradition of close cooperation, will reach solutions that can be adopted by NEAFC in time to regulate all fisheries in 2010. We have a solid framework to support sustainable fisheries where legal operators are well protected. With our extensive measures on bottom fishing activities in the high seas I am confident that NEAFC is fully prepared to meet all requirements in international law, technical guidelines adopted in FAO and the objective of its own Convention ‘to ensure the long-term conservation and optimum utilisation of the fishery resources in the Convention Area, providing sustainable economic, environmental and social benefits’. Cooperation with other Regional Fisheries Management organisations, OSPAR and IMO underlines the need to control all human activities with an impact on marine ecosystems.”
As the incumbent President Mr Stefán Ásmundsson, Iceland ended his three years term, NEAFC elected Dr Sergey Belikov, the Russian Federation, as President for 2010-2012. Johán H. Williams, Norway, was elected first Vice-President and Andrew Thomson, EU, was elected second Vice-President for the same period.
