Renewal of fisheries contract between Iceland and the Faroes

Iceland´s Minister of Fisheries, Jon Bjarnason, and his Faroese counterpart  met in Torshavn, capital of the Faroe Islands, earlier in the week and on 9th February they signed a new fisheries contract between the two countries, reports www.megafishnet.com Iceland Seafood International.

Some highlights:

Faroese vessels are given a capelin quota in Icelandic waters of 30,000 tons for the 2010/2011 capelin season, assuming that the total quota is at least 500,000 tons.  If total quota is lower, the Faroese will get 5 percent of the total.

Faroese vessels are allowed to catch Blue Whiting and Norwegian-Icelandic herring in Icelandic waters.  Icelandic vessels are allowed to catch the same species in Faroese waters.

Groundfish catches by Faroese vessels in Icelandic waters will be unchanged.  This means 5,600 tons of groundfish, of which maximum 1,200 tons will be cod, and maximum 40 tons will be halibut. 

Icelandic vessels are allowed to catch 2,000 tons of Shetland-herring and 1,300 tons of mackerel in Faroese waters.