EU and Norway settles seafood deal

A Final agreement has been reached at the EU-Norway fisheries talks in Brussels after a marathon session of negotiations.

Starting in 2011, a 10-year management plan for the mackerel stock, in which Scotland's pelagic (mid-water) fleet is the principal player. In accordance with the scientific advice there will be a 5% decrease in Total Allowable Catches (TAC) for 2010.

Agreement on the seven jointly managed stocks, with TAC set in accordance with the stocks science and managements plans, which includes a 16% increase in cod, and 15% decreases in haddock and whiting.

Scottish Fishermen's Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong said, ''the sticking point all along has been the matter of access to EU waters for Norway to complete fishing its quota of mackerel, and in return a reasonable longer term bilateral arrangement for the continued sustainable fishing of this very important stock.''

Armstrong said that normally settled on an annual basis the new agreement will cover a 10-year period, reviewed after five years, which will give some needed certainty to the fishery.

Meanwhile, he also noted that agreement has been reached on those stocks jointly managed with Norway, including, importantly for Scotland's whitefish fleet, cod haddock and whiting in the North Sea, and on the balance of fish transferred every year between the EU and Norway in the normal course of events.