High noon for mackerel talks

THE Scottish Government is billing tomorrow’s talks as the last chance to secure international agreement for the sustainable fishing of the North East Atlantic mackerel stock during 2012. The EU (including senior Scottish Government representation), Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland have reconvened negotiations to seek agreement on each country's mackerel quotas for 2012 and beyond. In recent months four previous rounds have failed to reach a deal – while numerous sets of talks since 2009 have been unsuccessful. Scottish Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Mackerel is a high-value stock for all the countries that participate in the fishery, therefore it is common sense that we work together and ensure the stock is sustainably fished. However, this has not been the case over the past three years. "We need a new four-way international agreement that will safeguard the long-term sustainability of the mackerel fishery. Therefore I call on all parties to work together constructively and negotiate reasonably."


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