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UK SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR SANDEEL CLOSURE, SAY DANISH FISHING GROUPS
UK should be punished for sandeel closure, say Danish fishing groups. A grouping Danish fishing organisations says the sandeel closure in UK waters will have serious implications for its sector.
The group, comprising the Danish Pelagic Producers’ Organisation, the Danish Fishermen’s Association, and Marine Ingredients says ICES recently presented the scientific recommendations for setting fishing quotas for sandeel, ans although the recommendations bode well for fisheries, the UK – contrary to the Brexit agreement – will by their actions, destroy the sandeel fishery.
A statement said:
“The United Kingdom has announced the total closure of fishing grounds in British waters, where up to 75% of fishing normally takes place. The situation is unacceptable and very serious, says the fishing industry and the fishmeal industry.
“Biologists at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) have delivered good news to the Danish fisheries sector. The sand eel population is well managed. There is a scientific basis for sustainable fishing of approximately 167,000 tonnes of sandeel. The fishery has a total value of more than DKK 500 million in 2024. Fishing for sandeel is therefore of crucial importance for the economy and employment in the fisheries-dependent municipalities in North and West Jutland.
“The management of sandeel is ecosystem-based. This means that the quota recommendations pay special attention to the fish, birds and marine mammals that depend on sandeel as a food basis. If there is sandeel left over, fishermen can sustainably harvest from that surplus. And here the experts estimate that there is a surplus of 167,000 tons that Danish fishermen can catch.
“Nevertheless, the fishing sector as a whole is very concerned about the coming sandeel season. Despite the fact that Danish fishermen have paid dearly to be allowed to fish in British waters in connection with Brexit and despite the fact that the sandeel stock is doing well, Great Britain has decided to ban fishing for sandeel in British waters. This is a scandal and a humiliation of the EU.
“The sandeel population is doing well. Fishing is sustainable. We have paid dearly to be allowed to fish in British waters. It is therefore beneath criticism that Britain is playing games with the EU and banning fishing for sandeel overnight. It is a humiliation of the EU and a major blow to Danish fisheries, which will be felt in Danish ports.
“Specifically, the vast majority of the total quota will be caught in what is called Area 1, where the recommendation is 130,000 tonnes of sandeel, which has a value of just under 400 million for Danish fishermen. Therefore, the matter is very serious.
“The UK’s closure of the sandeel fishery has been decided in a process free of independent scientific advice and proportionality. The decision is clearly contrary to the Brexit agreement reached on 24 December 2020. Where I come from, there is a deal a deal. If you break an agreement, there are consequences.
“With Brexit, Britain got privileged access to the EU’s free market, we bought ourselves access to fishing. If access to fishing unjustly disappears for us, then access to the free market must disappear for the UK. That principle was established with the Brexit agreement and must now be upheld. Otherwise, the agreement is worthless for us and the rest of the EU’s fishermen,” says Jens Schneider Rasmussen, chairman of the Danish Pelagic Producers’ Organisation.
“It is not only fisheries that are affected by the UK’s decision to ban sandeel fishing. It will also have consequences for the fish oil and fishmeal industry. The landings of sandeel from the British area are historically important and have formed the basis for Danish exports of fish oil and fishmeal totalling DKK 2.7 billion since 2015.
“Therefore, it is crucial that the UK is not allowed to renege on the Brexit agreement they have entered into with the EU, which gives EU fishermen access to fish in British waters.
“It is deeply serious if the EU, and the heads of state of the EU, let Britain renege on their agreement. This is a very critical situation. These are significant values for Denmark, and it is our firm belief that this is a breach of the wording of the Brexit agreement that reciprocal access to fishing in the parties’ waters must be granted. Therefore, we continue to call for the legal framework of the British decision to be finalised.”
“The UK’s decision to ban fishing for sandeel will apply from 1 April this year. At exactly the same time that Danish fishermen will normally start fishing for sandeel.”
Facts
ICES advice for the sandeel fishery in 2024: Area 1: 132,315 tonnes, Area 2: 35,952 tonnes, Area 3: 0, Area 4: 0.
Källa: FishFocus