Status of the Northeast Atlantic mackerel fishery

17.12.2013

Question for oral answer O-000147/2013
to the Commission
Rule 115
Pat the Cope Gallagher, Gabriel Mato Adrover
on behalf of the Committee on Fisheries

Members have held two recent exchanges with Commissioner Damanaki on this issue, at the PECH Committee meeting of 27 November and at the EP Plenary of 9 December 2013. Throughout these exchanges, the Commissioner was forthcoming with her ideas on how best to proceed with negotiations, including her approach to reaching a deal with Iceland and the Faroe Islands now that scientific advice predicting healthy fishing opportunity levels has opened a ‘window of opportunity’ .

However, Members continue to be concerned about concluding a deal ‘at any cost’, as this may have a severe impact on the future of the EU fisheries sector. Members would also like to remind the Commissioner that striking a unilateral deal with Iceland and the Faroe Islands, without extensive collaboration with our partners in Norway, would be a mistake. The future issuing of new scientific advice by ICES must also be taken into account, as the management of this fishery must be based on the principle of sustainable fishing.

Bearing this in mind, Members therefore urge the Commission to examine all possible options before rushing into a deal, which could have permanent repercussions for the EU fisheries sector.

Tabled: 17.12.2013

Forwarded: 19.12.2013

Deadline for reply: 26.12.2013