Mackerel war could lead to loss of eco-labels, says MSC
June 14 2010 Charles Clover
The Marine Stewardship Council, the eco-labelling body for fish, has warned that several fisheries could lose their certification for sustainability because of the “mackerel war” between Iceland, Norway and the EU.
A crisis has arisen because mackerel have ranged further north and west in their migration in recent years than they have been known to before. Last year Iceland declared and caught a quota of 112,000 tons of mackerel having never apparently fished for it before.
This year it has declared a quota of 130,000 tons, without negotiating a share of the scientifically recommended quota of 571,000 tons which is split between the EU, Norway and Russia.
The Faroe Islands are also threatening to declare a vastly increased mackerel quota.
As a result of the dispute, the MSC has imposed a new condition on continuing to certify the mackerel caught by the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, one of seven certified mackerel fisheries in the North East Atlantic.
It says that the certification is likely to be withdrawn from all certified mackerel fisheries, which include pelagic trawl fisheries in the UK, Ireland and Denmark and a handline fishery in Cornwall, if the current row over quota allocation is not resolved by Dec 31 next year.
This condition is also likely to affect two mackerel fisheries currently in the process of assessment.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said he was “deeply concerned” about the quota allocation dispute and the possibility that his vessels could lose their certification.
Critics say that the deadline for compliance imposed by the MSC - in time for the fishing season of 2012- is relaxed, given fishermen’s concerns and the rhetorical escalation of the crisis by the Scottish Euro MP, Struan Stevenson, last week.
Mr Stevenson told the European Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, “I am amazed that Iceland is asking us to roll out the red carpet and welcome them as members of the EU, while in return they default on their debts, close our airspace for weeks with volcanic ash and now seek to destroy our mackerel fishery!”
Critics are also bemused that the MSC board and executives have done little to publicise what amounts to an unprecedented challenge to their certified fisheries arising from the international dispute.
Willie Mackenzie of Greenpeace UK said: “It’s remarkable that the MSC doesn’t seem concerned about the mackerel problem, and it seems extraordinarily trusting and laid back to think that the coastal states will resolve it by themselves.
“The MSC logo is seen by most as a conscience-clearing tick on fish products, yet increasingly MSC seem loath to intervene when fisheries they have certified are being badly run. If there’s a problem, it should be addressed now, otherwise the MSC logo stands for very little.
”A spokesman for the MSC said: “The condition has been set to a timeframe that allows reasonable time for resolution of the current situation, but before stock status is likely to be detrimentally impacted.”
- Read Charles Clover’s article, Wake up, the mackerel war has started, in the Sunday Times
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/Comment/article316053.ece
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