Brussels bureaucrats fire first salvo in mackerel war with Iceland

THE opening broadside in a new "Cod War" style dispute with Iceland was fired yesterday by Brussels bureaucrats.

Iceland is facing a Europe-wide blockade on mackerel imports over its continued refusal to enter into an international agreement on the division of mackerel quotas for 2011.

The ban on landings, which has been implemented with "immediate effect" by every country in the European Union, follows Iceland's decision to set a mackerel quota of 146,818 tonnes.

Scottish fishermen's leaders have warned that mackerel stocks - worth 135 million a year to the Scottish pelagic fleet - will be decimated as a result of Iceland's unilateral action. The Icelandic mackerel quota in 2005 was only 363 tonnes.

Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association, said: "This is an important first step and we would like to see the sanctions increased further to cover all fresh and frozen mackerel imports, and also fishmeal. We would seek to see this escalated to make sure there are no frozen mackerel products taken into the EU."

Scottish Tory MEP Struan Stevenson said: "Iceland's brazen actions have resulted in a serious trade embargo from one of their most important markets.This is simply the first of a range of sanctions the European Commission is considering.

"Scottish fishermen are rightly outraged that a stock they have worked hard over many years to manage sustainably is being ruthlessly plundered."

But one Scottish processor condemned the ban. Aberdeen-based processor Andrew Charles said: "It's a disgusting action by Europe, taking this action against a fellow fishing nation."