The quota report, Fishing quotas | Wait before voting until the entire industry has had its say

On 19 April, the parties in the industry committee agreed on a proposal for a broad settlement on quota notification 2.0. Tromsø Fiskarlag is very happy about predictability in the industry, and that so many parties have agreed on a settlement. We appreciate that many important points for the coast such as Id quotas, open group from the top and the return of the trawl ladder have been included in the settlement.

When it comes to the issue of unused third country quotas, we strongly disagree and surrender to our politicians. The wording to give Havfiskefläten “priority” on this amount can in practice mean that even if the open group is taken from the top, the coastal fleet comes out as the losing party.

We fear that this formulation could contribute to moving fish from the coast to the sea. Is this what the majority of the people want? Where did the intentions in the Hurdal platform and vision around “people in the house” and “fair distribution” become?

This remaining quantity from the third country quota has not been reserved for the coastal group, but has been a quantity that has stimulated the groups that have struggled in the current year. We are happy that such a provision can provide extra quantity to those who need it.

We have registered that the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association has internally put forward the proposal that has been used. A proposal that makes us fishermen feel even less valued for our social tasks of keeping the coast and its communities alive. We in the Tromsø Fishermen’s Association deeply disagree with the proposal put forward by the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association. Unused third country quota must be a free quantity that no one has priority over, neither yesterday, today nor tomorrow

Other fishermen in Finnmark are campaigning next week with port blockades in Hammerfest, Honningsvåg and Vardø. We in Tromsø Fiskarlag fully support our fishing brothers in their protest for the coast.

We ask the politicians in the settlement to wait for a vote on the quota notification, so that Nord fiskarlag can make it clear what consequences such a decision will have for all of us. Because as the proposal stands today, there is not a broad consensus among us fishermen at the grassroots. This matter must not be rushed through, without the entire industry having had its say.