On the 9th of August 2010 The Faroe Shipowners Association (FSA) said that the Faeroe Islands government had "no choice" but to set its own quota as it was totally excluded from the mackerel management agreement between EU and Norway. The conflict started when both Faeroe Islands and Iceland decided to significantly increase their 2010 mackerel quotas to 85,000 mt and 13,000 mt, respectively.

On the 9th of August 2010 The Faroe Shipowners Association (FSA) said that the Faeroe Islands government had "no choice" but to set its own quota as it was totally excluded from the mackerel management agreement between EU and Norway. The conflict started when both Faeroe Islands and Iceland decided to significantly increase their 2010 mackerel quotas to 85,000 mt and 13,000 mt, respectively.

The EU fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki warned yesterday that Faroese and Icelandic fishing vessels could be banned from EU waters if the "anarchic" situation created by their massive increases in mackerel quotas is not resolved.
“We will put all our efforts into ending this untenable situation by trying to come to an agreement with all states fishing on the north eastern mackerel stock. Should our efforts however not be fruitful I cannot guarantee that we will continue to exchange fishing possibilities with the Faroe Islands and Iceland in 2011,” she said.

The FSA said much of the debate surrounding mackerel has been “misguided,” particularly the anger directed at the Faeroes and Iceland over the lack of an international agreement on the management of the mackerel stock. The FSA asserted that the Faroese government acted “sensibly and responsibly” when it set the country’s 2010 mackerel quota.

“The EU and Norway allotted themselves 10 per cent more than the total catch recommended by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea [572,000 metric tons] for the entire mackerel stock, disregarding any share for the Faroes, Iceland or Russia. Viewed in this light, the steps taken to blockade our ships from landing, not to mention the proposed boycott of our seafood exports, are manifestly unfair,” said FSA Chairman Viberg S?rensen.

“Our government can hardly be blamed for the collapse of the multilateral negotiations this year,” he added. “They tried as late as in June to reach an agreement for 2010 but to no avail. They have acted both sensibly and responsibly in a difficult situation. Now we hope all of the coastal states will do their part to ensure that an agreement will be reached for the 2011 season.”

S?rensen called the Faroese mackerel fishery “fully legal and thoroughly regulated.”

“Good fisheries management is not an option but a necessity of life here,” he said.

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