Summary: Scottish fisherman have barricaded their fishing ports in protest at Iceland and the Faroe Islands' decision to drastically increase their mackerel catch. It feels like the Cod Wars of the 1970s. Iceland has increased its catch from 363 tonnes in 2005 to 130,000 tonnes this year. The Faroese have increased their take from 26,000 tonnes to 85,000. A 20 year-old agreement between Norway, the Faroes and the EU to limit mackerel catch has fallen apart. Norway banned Icelandic and Faroese trawlers from its ports. Scottish fishermen prevented a Faroese boat from landing its catch at Peterhead, and Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister, denounced the mackerel grab as “anarchic”. But is Iceland really endangering mackerel stocks? Have the mackerel moved to Icelandic waters, where they are properly Iceland's property? And is the EU really such a good guardian of the ocean's fish stocks? Ian Gatt, fisherman and chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fisherman's Association, argues the case against Iceland
