Iceland accused of putting stocks of mackerel at risk by increasing catch

Iceland has been accused of threatening the long-term sustainability of vital mackerel stocks after unilaterally increasing its catches in the international waters of the north-east Atlantic. In a damning leaked document agreed at a meeting in London in October, the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands lambasted Reykjavik’s decision to significantly raise its quota without consultation. Russia and Greenland were also criticised. “The delegations deeply regret the decision of Iceland in 2019 to increase its unilateral quota to levels well in excess of its previous claims, which are disputed by the delegations,” the document states. “Such action, which has no scientific justification, undermines the efforts made by the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands to promote long-term sustainability of the stock and the decision not to revise upwards the total allowable catch in 2019.” The three said they “further regret that Iceland chose not to engage with its international partners” before “substantially increasing” its catch, and criticised similar, though less significant, unilateral quota increases by Russia and Greenland. The escalating dispute echoes the cod wars of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, when the UK and Iceland clashed repeatedly and sometimes violently over Reykjavik’s ultimately successful efforts to restrict access to [...]

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