Norway’s fisherman: Iceland mackerel row draining our funds

800px-Jack_mackerel_schoolThe Norwegian fishing industry has said that the dispute over Iceland’s mackerel quota is taking a heavy toll on local businesses.

Geir Lundberg of North Norwegian Shipowners’ Association said on Thursday 26th December that large amounts of cheap fish from Iceland and the Faroes are ending up on the market, disrupting normal sales trends.

Lundberg called it a “disturbing practice” and also praised Oslo and the Ministry of Fisheries for recent efforts to take a hard line against the two countries by backing EU enforcement and supporting local fisheries.

The ongoing row has drawn fierce debate among North Atlantic nations in recent months, as European fisherman in the UK, Ireland, Norway and numerous other economies say that both Iceland and the Faroes are taking increasingly larger shares of Mackerel from territorial waters each year.

Opponents say that the practice is unsustainable and has a major impact on other mackerel fishing nations, but Iceland has remained firm that its share is sustainable and justified due to the increased numbers of fish remaining in its waters for longer periods of time over the last decade.