As per the information the European Union is in mood to impose ban on Icelandic vessels from entering EU ports in an emerging “mackerel war”. In an echo of the 1970s “Cod War” when British gunboats were sent to ward off Icelandic trawlers in disputed waters, the EU has warned it will take “all necessary measures” to protect its fishing and economic interests.
The rift between two nations arises after Iceland open up its decision to catch three times as much mackerel this year as the EU considers reasonable, prompting a similar move by the Danish-owned Faroe Islands. Together with the amounts traditionally taken by the EU and Norway, the quotas would exceed the sustainable catch by a third and threaten a success story in European fishing, which has been dogged by political dithering and national self-interest.
In its statement Iceland said that it has all the right to catch any fish it wants within its 200-mile territorial limit, established during the Cod War. The Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners defended its behaviour as “legal and responsible”. This dispute threatens to wreck international fishing agreements.
Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said on Monday the EC would be sending a “very clear message” to the two states demanding a sustainable deal. She added that if the current anarchic situation in the mackerel fisheries continues with unreasonable positions being maintained by parties, then the Commission will contemplate all necessary measures to conserve the mackerel stock and safeguard EU interests.
In a sign of its anger, Norway has already banned fish processors from accepting any mackerel landed by Icelandic or Faroese boats. Tempers are also running high in Scotland, where mackerel is more valuable than haddock or cod. Last week 20 fishermen from Peterhead and Fraserburgh used vans and cars in a bid to prevent the Faroese vessel the Jupiter from unloading 900 tonnes of mackerel at Peterhead.
