Disagreement about herring quotas – fear of over-fishing
Norway has unilaterally begun fishing more North Atlantic herring without agreeing with the other coastal states about quotas. Steinar Reiten (Christian Democrats) fears for sustainability.
In recent years, the involved countries have failed to agree on quotas for Norwegian spring-spawning herring, which has been the largest fish stock in the North Atlantic. Norway’s share of this fishery has traditionally been 61 per cent, but this year Norway has increased this to 70 per cent without making an agreement with the other affected countries, writes Klassekampen.
– I think it is problematic. The unilateral increase of quotas challenges the sustainability principle in Norwegian fisheries management, says Fisheries Policy Spokesperson for KrF, Steinar Reiten. He believes the Government has to end the gridlock and start negotiating with the other coastal states in the region.
25 per cent over-fishing
The International Research Network, Ices, recommend a total quota of 646,000 metric ton. According to Fiskeribladet (the Fisheries Bulletin), the sum of the national quotas for Norway, our neighbours in the EU, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Russia constituted 25 per cent over-fishing of the proposed total out-take.
Researcher and responsible for stock management at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, Erling Kåre Stenevik, will not comment on the political game that is being played concerning the herring quotas. but state on a general basis that the limits are set so that the spawning stock will not diminish.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
