The Ministry of the Environment has received a letter from the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) stating that Estonia has become a member of this organisation. According to mr. Ain Soome, Head of Fish Resources Department of the Ministry of the Environment, the member status will enable Estonia to participate as a voting state in the division of fishing rights for the species which will be regulated in the North-East Atlantic region in the near future - the Ling, the Cusk, different sharks, large sharks, etc. -, and apply for a separate fishing quota for Estonia. "The decision to start regulating fishing for the deep sea species will probably be taken already at the extraordinary meeting of the NEAFC in May," said mr. Soome. Until now, Estonia was a country cooperating with the NEAFC which, similar to other countries with the same status, had the right for limited catching of the Redfish and the Macrel within the joint quota specified for all cooperating states. The North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission now has seven members - the European Union, Russia, Norway, Iceland, Poland, Denmark (which also represents the Faroe Islands and Greenland), and Estonia. To date, countries having the status of cooperating states include Latvia, Canada, and Japan. For additional information please contact: |
