Mackerel management

• Coastal states agreements (EU, Norway, Faroe Islands) since mid 1990’s

• Management plan in place since 1999; new management plan in 2008

• Since 2008 all (Northern) EU and Norwegian mackerel fisheries certified under MSC

Mackerel management is successful

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Daily Egg production per half ICES statistical rectangle in period 4 (left) and period 5 (right).

2010 egg survey:daily egg production per half ICES statistical rectangle

period 4 (left) and period 5 (right)

Conclusions latest egg survey (2010)

• Stock has increased considerably• Egg production in Iceland 0.3% of total • Egg production in Faroe Islands 0.7% of total

Total 1% of egg production in Faroe Islands and Iceland together

Distribution of the stock, in particular the feeding areas, may change over the years, but the reproduction area of the stock is not changing

Quota development since 2004

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

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TAC & Quota development since 2004

Year Mackerel TAC Quantity Iceland

% TAC Quantity Faroer

% TAC

2004 532,000 0 0 24,472 4,6%

2005 422,000 363 0,1% 19,412 4,6%

2006 444,000 4,222 1,0% 20,424 4,6%

2007 502,000 36.706 7,3% 23,092 4,6%

2008 458,000 112,286 24,5% 21,068 4,6%

2009 605,000 130,000 21,5% 27,830 4,6%

2010 572,000 130,000 22,7% 85,000 14,9%

2011 646,000 146,818 22,7% 150,000 23,2%

Faroer: 2011 quota situation

Current situation in Faroer

150,000 total 2011 mackerel quota

25,000 Swapped to Russia

60,000 For traditional pelagic purse seiner fleet

30,000 Available for everybody else except purse seiners (Olympic)

35,000 Will be auctioned in 3 parts

Faroer: 2011 catch & processing capacity

The current Faroe pelagic fleet is not able to catch and process 125,000 mt quota (+25,000 tons transferred to Russia)Therefore:

• A large number of white fish vessels have been granted a license to catch mackerel

• Temporary fleet addition: Lafayette (Russian flagged and Chinese owned processing vessel) with 2 catcher vessels (Pacific Voyager and Enterprise). The two catcher vessels are on the NEAFC black list.

Faroer: 2011 catch & processing capacity

The current Faroe pelagic fleet is not able to catch and process 125,000 mt quota (+25,000 tons transferred to Russia)Therefore:

• Fleet addition: Purse seiner (Christian I Grotinum - ex Norwegian)

• Fleet addition: 3 freezer-trawlers (1 Peruvian – Franziska - and 2 Icelandic). Peruvian vessel is on the NEAFC black list.

Until now about 40,000 tons of mackerel have been caught (a lot in mixed fisheries with herring outside AS Herring quota).High season for mackerel starts shortly.

Faroer: 2011 quality issue

• Quality of the mackerel at the moment is very poor: too much feed in the mackerel and high fat content

• Prices setting at the moment about 40% of regular Norwegian price• See pictures

Iceland 2011 situation

• Until 21 July about 47,000 tons of mackerel have been caught which is 20% less than in same period in 2010, despite increased deployment of catch capacity

• In 2010 catches over the same period were also lower than in 2009

• Also in Iceland quality of the mackerel seems to be a problem

• Mackerel is on the average smaller than last year

conclusion• Iceland and Faroer increased their share in the TAC from 5% to 46% since 2006

• Faroer is uncapable in catching their quota by themselves and have opened their fishery for IUU vessels

• By-catch of herring in the Faroe mackerel fisheries major cause for concern (where is the quota sourced from?)

• Very poor quality fish – low price – affects regular markets

• Mackerel stock is very healthy but if this plundering continues it will affect the stock.

• Iceland’s behaviour with mackerel is a 100% copy of their past behaviour with Cod Barents Sea, Shrimps NAFO, Norwegian Spring Spawning herring and Blue whiting, , where the other coastal states had to pay.

• Fundamental principle must be that Iceland and Faroe Islands will NOT be rewarded for their wreckless and irresponsible behaviour

This must be immediately stopped !!

Firstly by showing resolve by EU and Norway implementing immediate and effective measures against Iceland and Faroe

Islands

Secondly by getting them back to the negotiation table to restore mackerel management

Action plan requested by industry

• Joint statement of Commissioner with Norwegian minister showing resolve and warning of immediate measures

• Organize immediate inspection visits to Iceland and Faroe Islands under the heading of NEAFC

• Enforcing existing NEAFC regulation backed up by the EU and Norwegian regulation on IUU

• If the warning is not adhered to then a total import ban of all kinds of fish and fish products from Iceland and Faroer should be implemented

• Freeze accession talks with Iceland