Anger as Faroes still allow Russia to fish in UK waters
FISHING bosses have hit out at the Faroe Islands for letting Russian vessels trawl UK waters next year.
Its parliament gave Moscow the right to catch tens of thousands of tonnes of blue whiting in an area of the North Atlantic it shares with the UK, despite the invasion of Ukraine.
Ian Gatt, head of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said: “It is hugely disappointing, if not surprising. It was very clear what should have happened. Instead, Faroe has breached its moral obligations to the international community.”
Faroese fleets will be given access to 12,285 tonnes of cod in the Barents Sea plus 1,276 tonnes of haddock, 900 of flatfish and 4,000 of shrimp.
In return, Russian vessels can catch 72,000 tonnes of blue whiting, 13,000 tonnes of mackerel and 8,500 tonnes of herring. Mr Gatt said that “really sticks in the craw”.
He added: “Most of that blue whiting will come from UK waters because of a protocol agreed back in 1999 between the UK and Faroe.
“It permits Faroe to licence Russian vessels to fish in a ‘special area’ – essentially UK waters.”
He urged Rishi Sunak’s Government to increase pressure on the Faroes, a self-governing island territory that belongs to Denmark some 200 miles north of Scotland. Fishing chiefs say banning Russian trawlers would harm President Putin’s war machine.
When the Daily Express went to the Faroes in June, officials said Russian ships had not been in UK waters since April but might return this month.
Árni Skaale, Faroes fishing minister, said of the latest agreement: “It is without a doubt the right thing to do for the Faroe Islands.”
Fish makes up more than 90 per cent of the Faroes’ exports and Russia is the largest buyer, purchasing close to a quarter of all exports this year.
In July, the UK Government put a 35 per cent tariff on Russian-caught whitefish. That levy, plus rocketing energy bills and soaring inflation, has put chip shops at risk of closing, says the National Federation of Fish Friers.
More than 30 per cent of the whitefish sold in the UK is caught by Russia.
Andrew Crook, the federation president, said it is a “very worrying time” for shop owners: “People are starting to feel the squeeze. It’s a very worrying set of circumstances.
“This time last year, we started to see fish prices moving up. People are very worried about the future. The nation’s appetite is still very much [in favour] of cod and haddock.”
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been contacted for comment.