EU, Norway, Iceland, Faroes reach fish accord

The European Union has reached agreement with the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway on the amount of blue whiting that can be fished next year in the northeast Atlantic, the European commission said Saturday.

"As provided for under the multi-annual management arrangement on blue whiting, set up last year, the parties agreed on a reduced Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 1,700,000 tonnes, down from 2,000,000 tonnes for this year," a statement in Brussels said.

"The TAC will be shared between the parties to the agreement in the waters under their national jurisdictions."

The areas concerned are the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Barents Sea.

"The gradual reduction of the TAC was agreed in accordance with the objectives set out by the parties in the multi-annual management arrangement, which are to reach a sustainable fishing mortality rate within five years," the statement said.

"This reduction will allow the respective industries of the parties to gradually adjust to the final level of fishing mortality as foreseen in this arrangement."

The blue whiting has been threatened by overfishing for some years. The commission estimates that the amount taken rose from 650,000 tonnes in 1997 to 2.4 million tonnes in 2004.