The deputy chairman of the European Union fisheries committee wants the fisheries ministers of Iceland and the Faroe Islands to be called urgently to Brussels in order to negotiate a solution to the escalating mackerel fishing dispute.
Struan Stevenson, a British Conservative MEP and deputy chairman of the EU Committee on Fisheries, believes that the EU should use the threat of sanctions against Iceland and the Faroes due to their large unilaterally-declared mackerel fishing quotas.
Stevenson says that Icelandic and Faroese over-fishing is putting the livelihoods of Scottish fishermen at risk. The website of the Daily Mail says that Scots are furious over Iceland and the Faroe Islands’ decision to increase their quotas massively. There has historically been next-to-no mackerel in Icelandic waters.
A decade ago, the country fished two tonnes a year; but this year has set a quota of 130,000 tonnes. Marine Research Institute surveys suggest that mackerel are migrating to Icelandic waters in huge numbers and that the quota is sustainable. Iceland has a reputation for taking good care of its fish stocks; but the EU does not believe that is currently the case with mackerel.
As to Labour their manifesto commitment was also to a referndum on EU constitiion as well :
” We will put [the EU constitutional Treaty] to the British people in a referendum. ”
But then of course they did claim that Lisbon Treaty was not the constitution treaty which was of course a complete lie. As it was the same one with slight changes.
Brumley :
>I’ve seen you say this before. IMO, it’s factually incorrect, in that there is little
>serious talk in the UK of leaving the EU (whether for EFTA of otherwise).
You mean the politicians in Labour party or Liberal Democrats re not talking about it.
That’s because noone of them has asked the voters and tax payer of UK if they want to be in EU. If there was referndum on this you would be out of the EU and back to EFTA.
There is as in rest of Europe states within EU an disconnection between the voters and the politicians on this issue. The politicians are floating away in they privleged expenses abusing — dont pay the parlimentary bar drinks bill — land of politicans and quango appointees.
The Conservatives do have plenty of EU skeptics in it but Cameron does not have the balls to ask the people about it in referendum — despite this refernedum on Lisbon EU constsiituon treaty being promised in Conservative election manifesto and him giving his “cast iron guarantee”.
It is shame to see this William Hague who usually is principled on it going along with this fudge.
>You do know that the EU have offered Iceland to rewrite the Common Fisheries
>policy to their liking?
>
>Read more: https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/08/24/eu-sanctions-against-iceland-over-mackerel-dispute/#ixzz1BZZtBOHk
Peter — you know that it would be a miracle for EU burecrats to actually change Common Fisheries Policy for the better.
There are many other countries than Iceland that have told EU commission what the right thing to do would be in past years. Just the same for the Common Agricultural Policy.
There is burecratic inertia in the EU for the current ways — and the burecrats dont care. They will continue to do it the current way. There is no interest in UK or Germany or France to change the current way.
So it wont change. It is just a diplomatic puff attempt to try and pretend that once in the EU Iceland will make a difference in way things go in EU.
Not a chance. We would have less than 0.4% influence under qualified majority voting. We would maybe have one highly paid EU commissioner who would just enjoy sucking they large salary and expensises to abuse.
Once they did get access to our waters through quota hopping in a few years — then we would just see the Common Fisheries Polucy decimate our waters as has happend in the rest of the European waters.
Even though I do not agree with they ideas much at all, this is reason ( and for good reason for once ) that Left- Greens here are against EU member ship.
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/07/29/icelandic-president-best-paid-political-figure-of-2009/#comment-222797
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/09/24/iceland-hopes-to-learn-from-malta-in-eu-accession-bid/#comment-328256
>But it is for sure that it is more likely the UK will leave EU and rejoin EFTA than Iceland will leave EFTA to join EU.
I’ve seen you say this before. IMO, it’s factually incorrect, in that there is little serious talk in the UK of leaving the EU (whether for EFTA of otherwise).
There’s a real, if small, chance that Iceland will join the EU.
Therefore, it’s more likely that Iceland will join the EU than the UK leave it.
>EU cant stop us because we are not part of EU customers union, just free trade area.
Dream on. If Iceland digs its heels in and if the EU is sufficiently bothered, it will become an issue. Ultimately, a treaty is revocable by either party.
>I feel sorry for smaller EU nation states that are beholden to bigger ones ideas in EU
That’s the same in any democratic system – ultimately the largest interest groups lead the way. But they don’t get it all their way.
Pick any rural/peripheral/island district in the Althingi. In general, they have to do what people in Reykjavik want, but they do get a massively disproportionate voice.
“Not that it would happen for that reason. But it is for sure that it is more likely the UK will leave EU and rejoin EFTA than Iceland will leave EFTA to join EU.”
You do know that the EU have offered Iceland to rewrite the Common Fisheries policy to their liking?
“These sanctions just deny EU nations of the makeral. Just like the cod wars all happens is we will seek out different markets for our fish.”
Go ahead. Whats the price difference between fresh and frozen fish? how much will it reduce the value of fish exports?
When that happened we did just figure out new freezing technologies and sell to Canada and US.
” >If British fishermen want to have a future they must force the UK govt to pull out of the EU common fisheries policy ”
I dont think any one would disagree with that if they have studied the CFP.
Not that it would happen for that reason. But it is for sure that it is more likely the UK will leave EU and rejoin EFTA than Iceland will leave EFTA to join EU.
These sanctions just deny EU nations of the makeral. Just like the cod wars all happens is we will seek out different markets for our fish.
When that happened we did just figure out new freezing technologies and sell to Canada and US.
EU cant stop us because we are not part of EU customers union, just free trade area. Right now we can trade freely with any nation that wants to trade with us.
I feel sorry for smaller EU nation states that are beholden to bigger ones ideas in EU — from the COREPA ideas is where all the laws in the EU originate. If Germany or France decide they want some trade restriction they cna introduce it and get it passed through EU commission and parliament.
If British fishermen want to have a future they must force the UK govt to pull out of the EU common fisheries policy, declare a 200 nm EEZ and tell all EU vessels to clear out of British waters immedietly, then use gunboats to patrol the area,
limited fishing should be allowed and only by British ships,
I am sure Icelanders would be more than happy to assist in rebulding fishing stocks and repairing what has gone wrong, we have considerable knowledge about this topic and lots of skilled people and equippent, and a system far superior to the one EU is currently using.
The Mackerel is a predatator fish, its not a good sign if it is the strongest fishing stocks left in British waters.
>we have 2 in prison right now
Not really the case. “In prison” would commonly be interpreted to mean that they’ve been tried and convicted. Over 2 years on now and that’s still not the case.
>If the EU relly want to punish us for the icesave referendum
Plainly this has nothing to do with the Icesave referendum and everything to do with the massive increase in the quota Iceland allocates itself.
“This is not a trade War, all the Mackerel from Icelandic waters is landed in Iceland, so a Mackerel landing ban in European ports is useless, this is like being bitten by a toothless Lion.”
Thats the next step that will be taken, apparently, this is just the first notice. Apparently you want to be hit by real sanctions so it causes economic damage to Iceland.
This is nothing to do with EU membership, its about Iceland’s arrogant and total disregard for the fish stocks. Going from 2 tonnes to 140,000 tonnes of mackerel within a few years is shocking.
“but a trade war between its biggest trade partner doesn’t seem to get a mention.”
This is not a trade War, all the Mackerel from Icelandic waters is landed in Iceland, so a Mackerel landing ban in European ports is useless, this is like being bitten by a toothless Lion.
If the EU relly want to punish us for the icesave referendum and refusing to become a part of the EU circus they are going to have to use real sanctions, like blocking all Icelandic ships from EU ports,
that would mean War.
I think people are focusing on the bankers now, we have 2 in prison right now and the third has been banned from leaving the country, many more are being questioned and the special prosecutor has been looking for Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, his lawyer sais he is currently in London.
>Funny, when someone bicycle is stolen in Iceland it gets reported, but a trade war between its biggest trade partner doesn’t seem to get a mention.
Good point. I just checked all the usual English-language sites and there’s no mention of it.
There didn’t seem to be any discussion of it in the Icelandic media today, although perhaps it’s old news already. That in itself is interesting. Some talk about addressing the quota system, but that appeared to be the quota system in general rather than the mackerel one in particular.
Funny, when someone bicycle is stolen in Iceland it gets reported, but a trade war between its biggest trade partner doesn’t seem to get a mention.
“An EU ban on landings of Icelandic mackerel at all European ports was hailed tonight as the right response to end a damaging stalemate over catch quotas.
EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki confirmed the ban at talks in Brussels, and was urged to go even further if the move does not break the deadlock threatening the Scottish fishing fleet’s most valuable stock. ”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-ban-on-icelandic-mackerel-hailed-2184947.html
10 years ago nobody wanted mackerel, but today it’s in big demand due to its nutritional values, also mackerel in some places costs more than cod and haddock does, so i can understand why iceland and the faroese are cashing in on it, oh dear the eu are upset again, norway might be outside the eu, but they land a lot of fish in britain, more so scotland. as per usual the eu will want some sort of deal that favours them.
This Mackerel migration is interesting, i dont think rising sea temperature is the only reason for it, it looks to me as their whole eco has collapsed, therefore they choose to migrate to a healthy eco system, it looks like the only thing left for the Scots is jelly fish, everything else is dead or gone.
August 2009
http://www.hafro.is/images/frettir/2010/mak2.pdf
this is July-August 2010
http://www.hafro.is/images/frettir/2010/mak1.pdf
There have been changes in the sea temperature before causing Mackerel to move further North, but never like this, this fish has not been seen much in Iceland before 2009, now its everywhere.
http://www.shockya.com/news/wp-content/uploads/piranha_3d_poster13.jpg
[…] Struan Stevenson, a British Conservative Read more at IceNews – Daily News […]
Oops! sorry – BBC link re plundering.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11038358
There is a little comment about this on a previous thread.
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/08/23/eu-urged-to-prop-up-krona-upon-icelandic-membership/
A BBC link refers to Iceland as ‘plundering’ .
However, Axel seems to suggest that the Mackerel may simply feel ‘alienated’ – perhaps seeking asylum from the harsh UK fishery policies?
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/08/23/eu-urged-to-prop-up-krona-upon-icelandic-membership/#comment-245524