Talks under way with Norway to seal EU fishing quotas

CRUCIAL talks began in Brussels yesterday to thrash out the vital quotas for Scottish fishermen in the North Sea this year.

The negotiations between the European Union and Norway to fix the quotas for many of the mainstay catches of Scotland's fishing fleet were plunged into chaos last month following the breakdown of talks in a row over fishing rights.

The NorwegiADVERTISEMENTans refused to agree on the carve-up of quotas within the North Sea in retaliation for the enforced closure of mackerel grounds in Scots waters to Norwegian pelagic trawlers.

The Norwegian government claimed that the ban was a clear breach of the bilateral fisheries agreement between Norway and the EU.

As a result of the breakdown in negotiations, Scottish trawlers have been banned from lucrative fishing grounds within Norwegian-controlled waters, while Norwegian boats are banned from fishing grounds off the Scottish coast.

This week's talks, however, are expected to end in an agreement on new catch limits for economically important species such as cod, whiting and haddock.

Ian Gatt, the president of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: "We are fairly confident that an agreement between the EU and Norway will be reached this week, which will hopefully bring to an end the current period of uncertainty over the final quota levels for 2010.

"It will also enable Scottish boats to gain access to Norwegian waters and vice versa," Mr Gatt said.

Source:news.scotsman.com/