'Rational' mackerel talks urged

Aug 26 2010

Iceland and the Faroe Islands should take part in "rational" negotiations to resolve a growing row over mackerel quotas, the Scottish Government said.

Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said the countries' controversial decision to dramatically boost their quotas was "wholly unacceptable" and risked harming well-managed stocks of the fish.

Mr Lochhead said he has also received assurances that the situation is being taken into account during talks about Iceland's application to join the European Union.