High stakes in the Arctic
The EU fisheries policies and management of the Arctic met with strong criticism in the debate at the Nordic Council Session today.
Iceland’s' Minister for Co-operation, Katrin Jakobsdottir, gave a clear speech on the EU's fisheries policy at the Nordic Council Session.
- Photographer
- Johannes Jansson/norden.org
"The EU fisheries policy has been a fiasco for a long time, and what is even more gratifying is that the EU is now revising its policies", said Iceland's Minister for Co-operation, Katrin Jakobdottir, in her opening speech. The EU Commission launched a green paper on 22 April for a new common fisheries policy from 1 January 2013.
"Fish are a central part of business initiatives for almost half a billion European consumers. Fish are, and will continue to be, a major issue for the Nordic Environment and Natural Resources Committee", said spokesperson Ann-Kristine Johansen from Sweden.
Fish are also a topic in the risk analysis that Iceland initiated during its Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year. The risk analysis involves collecting information about natural and vulnerable areas which may be in danger, as well as navigational charts, risk assessment and action plans for the marine areas between Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland respectively. There is broad support for the relevance of such an analysis in the Nordic Council.
"One doesn't need to be a climate scientist to see that there is something wrong", said Danish Niels Sindal from the rostrum. "About 50,000 people will visit Greenland in future years. This puts high demands on emergency planning and security. Nordic co-ordination in this area, for example, in the Arctic Council is very much in the interests of every Nordic country", he elaborated.
Palle Christensen, Minister for Co-operation from Greenland, emphasised the importance of research into the risk areas, including making sure that the budget for Arctic co-operation was increased, and that the Arctic be included in the Top-Level Research Initiative, one of the Nordic Council of Ministers' globalisation initiatives.
"About 50,000 people will visit Greenland in future years. This puts high demands on emergency planning and security. Nordic co-ordination in this area, for example, in the Arctic Council is very much in the interests of every Nordic country", he elaborated.
Contacts
Jens Maseng
jens@norden.no
