Sanctions call
NORTHERN isles MP Alistair Carmichael is pressing the UK government to back European sanctions against Faroe and Iceland over their mackerel quotas.
Mr Carmichael said he is raising the matter with fisheries minister Richard Benyon after Faroe set a 2012 mackerel quota of 148,375 tonnes after talks with the EU and Norway broke down.
He warned that if fleets now proceed to catch more than 800,000 tonnes this year, above the scientists’ recommendation of 637,000 tonnes, they were in danger of turning a sustainable fishery into an unsustainable one.
The European Parliament is now planning to impose sanctions on both island nations.
“This continued overfishing is irresponsible and is causing great damage to the mackerel stock in the north east Atlantic. The future of the stock is crucial to our local fleets and the economy as a whole, so it is vital that it remains sustainable,” Mr Carmichael said.
“Hopefully the prospect of damaging sanctions will bring about a sensible settlement with quotas at sustainable levels.”
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