Ms Sin?ad McSherry:

The European Union is one with coastal states that look at fishing opportunities in shared waters. For example, there is the EU, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroes, Russia and the UK. There is a number of states which all share waters in the north-east Atlantic. In those situations, obviously, there is advice issued in respect of stocks and the available stocks and then the EU negotiates with those other coastal states in relation to determining the level of stock to be fished and then the share-out of those stocks. The Commission has the competence. It has the sole competence to negotiate with other third countries. In the EU-Norway situation, the EU and Norway, either as coastal states or in direct negotiations, will look at stocks of common interest and areas of common interest.

The question the Senator may have asked is about Norway and the EU and access to the EEZ.