PelAC calls EU’s access to Norwegian waters for Atlanto-Scandian herring “insulting” and demands restitutio
The Pelagic Advisory Council (PelAC) has criticised Norway’s refusal to grant meaningful access to its waters for the European Union fleet targeting Atlanto-Scandian herring (ASH), calling the recent Coastal States negotiations “disappointing and frustrating.”
In a formal letter to European Commission Director-General Charlina Vitcheva, PelAC accused Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Russia of unjustifiably denying the EU’s status as a Coastal State in the talks.
“This is particularly concerning, and in our opinion unjustified,” the letter states, noting that EU industry members are angered by Norway’s offer of access to just 1% of the EU quota in Norwegian waters—terms that PelAC described as “insulting.”
The letter highlights that since 2007, the EU has made concessions on quota shares in return for access, and those historical arrangements should be respected. “EU vessels have a legitimate right to the share it currently claims based on previous arrangements,” PelAC wrote.
PelAC rejected Norway’s argument based on “zonal attachment,” calling the data incomplete and inconsistent, and urged that future access arrangements be based on historic track records to maintain “continuity, stability and predictability.”
In a three-point recommendation, PelAC called for:
- The EU to demand full restoration of access to Norwegian waters or, failing that, to seek the return of the quota the EU gave up in 2007 to secure access, provided this doesn’t result in overfishing.
- A revised management plan for ASH through ICES that considers the implications of Total Allowable Catch (TAC) overshoots and integrates ecosystem and climate considerations.
- Swift adoption of the Commission’s proposed legislation to expand the EU’s toolkit to sanction non-EU countries that engage in unsustainable fishing practices—an indirect but pointed reference to Norway’s actions.
Chair of the PelAC, Esben Sverdrup-Jensen, stressed the need for a face-to-face meeting with DG MARE to avoid further back-and-forth correspondence. “We would welcome the opportunity to discuss it further with the dedicated DG MARE unit in a meeting,” he stated.
The dispute underscores broader tensions in pelagic fishery politics, as the EU seeks to assert its long-held access rights while Norway appears increasingly unwilling to honour previous concessions. With the future of ASH stock management and EU fleet access hanging in the balance, PelAC’s demands place the Commission under pressure to take a firmer stance in upcoming negotiations.