Fishing organisations in Norway warn the EU for disregarding international principles on blue whiting, which undermines future negotiations and cooperation
Unacceptable Proposal Sabotages Negotiations And International Principles
After several years of negotiations, the EU has presented a proposal for the distribution of the blue whiting stock. This proposal dramatically reduces Norway’s previously agreed share from 26.2 percent to 5.8 percent, while significantly increasing the EU’s own quota and shielding other coastal states. This move has been met with condemnation from Norwegian fishing organisations, who argue it disregards internationally agreed principles and threatens sustainable resource management.
“The proposal radically breaks with internationally agreed distribution principles, which is extremely serious and negative in terms of sustainable management of fishery resources in all ocean areas in the future,” stated Audun Maråk, CEO of Fiskebåt (The Norwegian Fishing Vessels Organisation).
Deviation From Established Criteria
Norway’s long-standing share of 26.2 percent is firmly established through international distribution criteria. Kåre Heggebø, Leader of Norges Fiskarlag, asserted, “Fiskarlaget is clear that recognised principles from the Law of the Sea must form the basis for the distribution of the stock, such as zone affiliation, historical fishing, and research. The EU’s proposal is absolutely not in accordance with internationally accepted distribution principles.”
Norwegian fishing industry representatives also highlight Norway’s consistent responsible conduct. It is important to note that Norway has acted responsibly and adhered to its originally agreed share, while the other coastal states increased their shares after the coastal state agreement on blue whiting collapsed a few years ago. Parties have set quotas unilaterally since 2017. This has meant that in recent years, the sum of set quotas has exceeded the recommended total quota by approximately 30 percent. All other coastal states have increased their shares during this period, while Norway has adhered to its traditional share in accordance with the 2005 framework agreement. The EU’s current proposal is therefore deemed highly unfriendly towards Norway.
Financial Impact And Broader Consequences
Norway’s proposed 5.8 percent share would cost responsible Norwegian fishermen more than NOK 1 billion annually at current quota levels. The Norwegian fishing industry considers the EU’s proposal to be “unserious and unacceptable – and a derailment.”
Kåre Heggebø further stated, “It is disappointing that a central party apparently does not take the negotiations seriously, and it is, of course, completely out of the question for Fiskarlaget to support negotiation solutions that both lack principled anchoring and that will hit Norwegian interests very hard.” He cautioned that such actions make it more difficult to find good and balanced solutions and undermine the entire negotiation institution.
With its actions, the EU is sabotaging progress in the negotiations by provoking and creating expectations that are not grounded in reality. The EU’s unserious and factually unfounded proposal for the distribution of the blue whiting quota is a setback in reaching an agreement—not only for blue whiting, but also for mackerel and Norwegian spring-spawning herring. This should also have consequences for future fisheries cooperation between Norway and the EU.
EU Labelled An “Opponent”
In recent years, the EU and Norway have had several conflicts related to various fisheries issues. Audun Maråk of Fiskebåt noted, “I have previously advocated for Norway to seek better cooperation with the EU through a pragmatic approach, even though I have been critical of the foreign minister overruling the fisheries minister in past Barents Sea conflicts.” However, following the EU’s latest proposal, which “strongly deviates from current international distribution principles.”
He concluded that “The EU is and remains an opponent of Norway, and an opponent of current international law, and can no longer be taken seriously as a negotiating partner.” The EU’s behaviour, he stated, “validates its critics: the EU disregards Norwegian interests and the Norwegian fishing industry.”
This proposal also highlights that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ efforts to resolve previous fisheries conflicts have been of little use.
Norway should formally protest the EU’s actions. “Never before have I encountered such an unserious formal proposal from any responsible contracting party,” said Maråk, “and one that also seriously violates international law, which could negatively impact the sustainable management of fishery resources in the future.”
It should also be emphasised that fisheries are of vital importance to Norway. Norway cannot accept that the EU acts so unfriendly, unseriously, and irrationally in fisheries negotiations without it having negative consequences for the relationship between Norway and the EU. This week saw two different rounds of negotiations in London; blue whiting discussions concluded on the preceding days, with mackerel talks occurring on Thursday and Friday. Fiskarlaget has been represented by several elected officials and employees in both negotiation forums.
Norwegian Government Calls EU Proposal “Nonsense and Unacceptable”
Norwegian State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Kristina Hansen, supports the fisheries leaders’ descriptions of the EU’s blue whiting initiative.
Hansen believes the EU’s negotiating proposal to reduce Norway’s share of blue whiting to just under five percent is frivolous.
Speaking to Norwegian fishing news platform Fiskeribladet, the Minister said, “It is positive that the EU is now participating more actively in the negotiations, but their proposal for a Norwegian share is frivolous and unacceptable, and at best a poor negotiating proposition.”
Source: Press Release