Breakdown in the fisheries negotiations between Norway and the EU

- I am very disappointed about the EU’s lack of willingness and determination to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement for 2010”, says Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Lisbeth Berg-Hansen.

Despite several rounds of negotiations this autumn, Norway and the EU have not been able to conclude a bilateral fisheries agreement for 2010. After the  the EU decided to break the bilateral agreement for 2009 by stopping the Norwegian mackerel fishery in the EU zone, the EU has embarked upon  a path of conflicts..

- Our approach has been constructive and we have gone to great lengths to reach an agreement. My negotiators have been sitting in Bergen working overtime, but unfortunately the negotiations ended by breaking down”, says Berg-Hansen.

Norway aims at providing for stability and predictability in the mackerel fishery. Our objective is therefore a long-term agreement with fixed quota shares and reciprocal access to the Parties’ zones. This is important not only for the Norwegian fishing industry but is also a means of providing for sustainable management. Unfortunately, the Parties have been unable to agree on any of the key issues.

The exchange of fishing quotas between the Parties is difficult because the EU has problems in  paying for Barents Sea cod  with fish from EU the waters of interest to Norway. Nevertheless, Norway strived at finding solutions both to this problem and to other issues.  However, the EU was unable to match our efforts.

There are also other important issues that Norway and the EU have not agreed upon. I would in particular emphasize the need for new technical measures to reduce discards of fish. In fact discards constitute a waste of valuable resources. It is therefore disappointing that the EU has not managed to introduce the necessary measures to improve   the exploitation pattern in the North Sea and Skagerrak.

- One of the consequences of the breakdown of the negotiations is that Norway and the EU will not fix the total allowable catches for the  joint stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak. Although we are now without a bilateral agreement, I would like to underline that Norway will take its responsibilities and will fix the quotas in Norwegian waters on the basis of scientific advice, says Berg-Hansen.

- I would also emphasise the constructive dialogue we have had with the fishing industry, which is represented in the Norwegian delegation in these negotiations, says Berg-Hansen.