In 2012 Russia will enjoy bigger capture quotas off Iceland, Faroes and Greenland

In 2012 Russia has got bigger quotas for fishery in the waters of Iceland, Faroe Islands (autonomous from Denmark) and Greenland. In its turn, Russia has also allocated similar capture quotas to the above states, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/.

According to the decisions of the Russian-Faroese Fisheries Commission, the Russian quota for blue whiting fishery in the Faroese zone has been increased more than 6 times to 50,000 MT. The herring quota has been raised by 3%. Due to the above increases the Russian mackerel quota in the region has been cut from 25,000 MT to 12,500 MT.

As for Greenland, in 2012 Russian fishermen have got the same big quotas of 2011 for fishery in the adjacent waters and received increased halibut quota.

Besides, in 2012 Iceland and Russia exchanged large quotas for mutual fishery of aquatic species. Russia can harvest nearly 3,600 MT of herring in the Icelandic waters. In its turn Russia has given Iceland a quota for capture of more than 6,800 MT of cod and haddock in the Barents Sea.

The situation with mackerel fishery remains complicated. Iceland and Faroese insist on equal distribution of quotas for capture of Atlantic mackerel between all the North Atlantic states, as well as on access of the same states to mackerel fishery in the waters of EU and Norway in the high season when mackerel is of best quality. Such position is shared by Greenland and Denmark. Russian scientists from PINRO polar research institute think that distribution of mackerel stocks on equal principles for all the North Atlantic nations could raise the Russian mackerel quota in the waters of the Faroe Islands and Iceland.

However, Norway, Ireland and Scotland supported by EU and UK are so far against the above mentioned position as they fear consequent emergence of new big players of Faroes, Iceland and in the longer term Russia and Greenland on the world market of mackerel products. The dispute is to be settled in the course of fishery negotiations between Scotland, EU, Norway, Iceland and Danish autonomies to be held in Bergen in early February 2012. After the talks Russian quotas for mackerel in the North Atlantic may be changed.