2006 Fish Quotas: Greater Stability Requires Long-Term Commitment to Rebuilding Depleted
IP/05/1490
Brussels, 30 November 2005
2006 fish quotas: greater stability requires long-term commitment to rebuilding depleted stocks
Today, the European Commission tabled its annual proposal on fishing quotas and attendant measures for 2006. This proposal takes account of the latest scientific advice on the state of the fish stocks from the independent International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Commission’s own Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF), as well as input from stakeholders. The Commission’s aim is to combine, as far as possible, a gradual approach to the recovery of severely depleted fish stocks – thus allowing fishermen to pursue their activities – with a long-term commitment to applying reductions in quotas and fishing as required to return such stocks to a healthy biological state. This commitment has been formalised in the long-term plans already in place for cod, hake and certain Nephrops stocks. The Commission’s proposal reflects this common commitment and also includes some measures which originate from the fishing sector. This proposal, along with that on quotas for the Baltic Sea, tabled last Thursday, will be discussed by Council at its next meeting on 20-22 December (IP/05/1470).
Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs said: “It is crucial that we keep to the gradual but sustained approach to reducing fishing pressure that we have subscribed to. This, combined with the growing involvement of stakeholders in the fisheries management process is key to the future of our fisheries.”
Stocks which are covered by a recovery plan
For cod stocks, the Commission makes the following proposals:
- The application of the February 2004 cod recovery plan has been made more difficult because scientists have been unable to provide precise estimates of the parameters needed to calculate total allowable catches (TACs) and fishing effort. The Commission proposes therefore to apply the provision available under this plan limiting the maximum variations laid down for both TACs and fishing effort to 15% for both.
- Recent scientific data show that no single fleet is solely responsible for the dramatic levels of mortality in the cod stock. For example, in the North Sea, it appears that only 40% of cod caught are taken by the white fish fleet. It is therefore necessary that all other fleets concerned contribute in a fair and proportionate manner to the effort reductions that have to be made. The Commission proposes therefore that trawlers targeting Nephrops, beam trawlers (flat fish), and gill netters also have their fishing effort reduced by 15%. .
For northern hake:
- The northern hake stock is in reasonably good condition. As a result, the application of the formula laid down in the recovery plan leads to a proposed modest increase (3%) in TACs. This is a good illustration of the way in which the recovery plans function: not only by imposing reductions up to the agreed limit of -15% when biomass and fishing mortality figures are bad, but also by allowing increases in TACs (up to the same +15% limit) when scientific data are favourable, while ensuring that fishing effort exerted does not run ahead of the recovery and thus negate the good effects of the work done to try and build up the stock.
For southern hake and Nephrops off the Iberian Peninsula:
- In line with the recovery plan which was adopted by the Council in October, the proposed TACs for both these stocks have been set so as to achieve a 10% cut in fishing mortality relative to 2005.
In the case of those stocks for which a recovery plan has been proposed, but has not yet been adopted by Council the proposal is in line with the harvest rule contained in those plans.
Pelagic fisheries
In general, pelagic stocks are in relatively good condition, and the TACs and quotas adopted reflect this.
Short-lived species
The Commission is proposing in-year management plans for endangered stocks such as anchovy in the Bay of Biscay or sandeel in the North Sea. No fishing is proposed for the first half of 2006 for anchovy, and only a very low TAC for sandeel so as to allow for experimental fishing to gather data on spring abundancy. Once scientists have provided new advice on the state of stocks in the spring, fishing possibilities may then be proposed in response to real-time information, up to a certain precautionary level.
Deep sea stocks
The extremely fragile biological state of deep sea stocks requires urgent protection, due to very low reproductive rate of these species. Effort was already reduced by 10% for 2005. The Commission proposes a further cut of 20% so as to achieve the required 30% reduction objective agreed within the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC).
Technical measures
The Commission has welcomed and adopted two suggestions from the industry which help to meet the set objectives in a way that is attractive to fishermen. The first is for a two-month closure of cod fisheries in the Celtic Sea, proposed by the industries in the four Member States concerned. The second is for the introduction of a selective grid in Nephrops fisheries in the Grande Vasière area, off the south coast of Brittany, where minimum mesh sizes apply to protect young hake.
Enclosures:
- Table showing current TACs and Commission proposals for 2006
- Map of ICES fishing areas
- Graphs
- MEMO/05/451
6
TACs for 2005 and Commission proposals for 2006 TACs
Species(common name) / Species
(Latin name) / ICES fishing zone / TACs 2005 Final 1 / Commission proposals for TACs 2006 2 / % difference with TACs 2005
Sandeel / Ammodytidae / IV (Norwegian waters) / 10 000 / pm
Sandeel / Ammodytidae / IIa (EU waters), IIIa, IV (EU waters) / 655 960 / pm
Greater silver smelt / Argentina silus / I, II (EU and International waters) / 116 / 116 / 0.0%
Greater silver smelt / Argentina silus / III, IV (EU and International waters) / 1 331 / 1 331 / 0.0%
Greater silver smelt / Argentina silus / V, VI, VII (EU and International waters) / 5 310 / 5 310 / 0.0%
Tusk / Brosme brosme / EU waters of zones IIa, IV, Vb, VI, VII / Not relevant / Not relevant
Tusk / Brosme brosme / IV (Norwegian waters) / 200 / pm
Basking shark / Cetorhinus maximus / EU waters of zones IV, VI and VII / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Snow crab / Chionoecetes spp. / NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) / 1 0004 / 1 000 / 0.0%
Herring / Clupea harengus / Baltic Sea sub-divisions 30-31 / 71 8563 / 91 600 / 27.5%
Herring / Clupea harengus / Baltic Sea sub-divisions 22-24 / 46 000 / 47 500 / 32.6%
Herring / Clupea harengus / Baltic Sea sub-divisions 25-29 (except Gulf of Riga) and 32 / 116 172 / 115 842 / -0.3%
Herring / Clupea harengus / Gulf of Riga / 37 424 / 40 000 / 6.9%
Herring / Clupea harengus / Norwegian waters south of 62° N / 1 102 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / IIIa (Skagerrak and Kattegat) – HER/03A / 106 846 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / I, II (EU and International waters) / 89 5373 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / IIa (EU waters), IV, VIId / 50 000 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / IV north of 53°30' N / 305 5573 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / IVc, VIId / 74 293 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / Vb, VIaN (EU waters), VIb / 29 440 / pm
Herring / Clupea harengus / VIaS, VIIbc / 14 000 / 14 000 / 0.0%
Herring / Clupea harengus / VIa Clyde / 1 000 / 800 / -20.0%
Herring / Clupea harengus / VIIa / 4 800 / 4 800 / 0.0%
Herring / Clupea harengus / VIIe, f / 1 000 / 1 000 / 0.0%
Herring / Clupea harengus / VIIg, h, j, k / 13 000 / 11 050 / 15.0%
Roundnose grenadier / Coryphaenoides rupestris / NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) / 1 035 / pm
Roundnose grenadier / Coryphaenoides rupestris / V, XIV (Greenland waters) / 285 / pm
Roundnose grenadier / Coryphaenoides rupestris / Vb, VI, VII (EU and international waters) / 5 2534
Anchovy / Engraulis encrasicolus / VIII / 30 000 / 0 / -100.0%
Anchovy / Engraulis encrasicolus / IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 8 000 / 6 800 / -15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / I, II (Norwegian waters) / 19 499 / pm
Cod / Gadus morhua / Skagerrak / 3 773 / 3 315 / -12.1%
Cod / Gadus morhua / Kattegat / 1 000 / 850 / -15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / Baltic Sea Sub-divisions 25-32 (EU waters) / 38 882 / 45 339 / 16.6%
Cod / Gadus morhua / Baltic Sea Sub-divisions 22-24 (EU waters) / 24 700 / 28 400 / 15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / I, IIb / 17 757 / pm
Cod / Gadus morhua / IIa (EU waters), IV / 22 659 / pm
Cod / Gadus morhua / Norwegian waters south of 62° N / 411 / pm
Cod / Gadus morhua / Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV / 721 / 613 / -15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / VIIa / 2 150 / 1 828 / -15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / VIIb-k, VIII, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 6 200 / 5 270 / -15.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / NAFO 0, 1 including V, XIV (Greenland waters) / 0 / pm
Cod / Gadus morhua / NAFO 2J3KL / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / NAFO 3NO / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Cod / Gadus morhua / NAFO 3M / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Cod and haddock / Gadus morhua and Melanogrammus aeglefinus / Vb (Faroese waters) / 500 / pm
Northern Albacore / Germo alalunga / Atlantic Ocean (north of latitude 5° N) / 50 053.5 / pm
Southern Albacore / Germo alalunga / Atlantic Ocean (south of latitude 5° N) / 1 914.7 / pm
Witch flounder / Glyptocephalus cynoglossus / NAFO 2J3KL / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Witch flounder / Glyptocephalus cynoglossus / NAFO 3NO / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Atlantic halibut / Hippoglossus hippoglossus / V, XIV (Greenland waters) / 1 000 / pm
Atlantic halibut / Hippoglossus hippoglossus / NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) / 200 / pm
American Plaice / Hippoglossoides platessoides / NAFO 3M / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
American Plaice / Hippoglossoides platessoides / NAFO 3LNO / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Short fin squid / Illex illecebrosus / NAFO sub-zones 3 and 4 / Not relevant
Porbeagle / Lamna nasus / I-XIV / 0
Megrims / Lepidorhombus spp. / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 1 740 / 1 740 / 0.0%
Megrims / Lepidorhombus spp. / Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV / 2 880 / 2 448 / -15.0%
Megrims / Lepidorhombus spp. / VII / 19 263 / 16 374 / -15.0%
Megrims / Lepidorhombus spp. / VIII a,b,d,e / 2 237 / 1 901 / -15.0%
Megrims / Lepidorhombus spp. / VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 1 336 / 1 136 / -15.0%
Yellowtail flounder / Limanda ferruginea / NAFO 3LNO / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Common dab and Flounder / Limanda limanda and Platichthys flesus / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 18 000 / 16 200 / -10.0%
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 10 314 / 10 314 / 0.0%
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / IV (Norwegian waters) / 1 800 / pm
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV / 4 686 / 4 686 / 0.0%
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / VII / 25 082 / 27 798 / 10.8%
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / VIIIa,b,d,e / 6 120 / 6 120 / 0.0%
Anglerfish / Lophiidae / VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 1 955 / 1 662 / -15.0%
Blue marlin / Makaira nigricans / Atlantic Ocean / 103 / pm
Capelin / Mallotus villosus / V, XIV (Greenland waters) / 50 0504 / pm
Capelin / Mallotus villosus / IIb / 0 / pm
Capelin / Mallotus villosus / NAFO 3NO / 0 / 0 / 0.0%
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / I, II (Norwegian waters) / 2 260 / pm
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / Norwegian waters south of 62° N / 761 / pm
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / IIIa, IIIbcd (EU waters) / 3 610 / pm
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / IIa (EU waters), IV / 51 321 / pm
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / VIb, XII, XIV / 702 / 597 / -15.0%
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / Vb, VIa (EU waters) / 7 600 / 7 810 / 2.8%
Haddock / Melanogrammus aeglefinus / VII, VIII, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 11 520 / 11 520 / 0.0%
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / IIIa / 723 / pm
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / IIa (EU waters), IV / 19 800 / pm
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV / 1 600 / 1 360 / -15.0%
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / VIIa / 514 / 437 / -15.0%
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / VIIb-k / 21 600 / 18 360 / -15.0%
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / VIII / 3 600 / 3 600 / 0.0%
Whiting / Merlangius merlangus / IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 816 / 653 / -20.0%
Whiting and Pollack / Merlangius merlangus and Pollachius pollachius / Norwegian waters south of 62° N / 190 / pm
Hake / Merluccius merluccius / IIIa, IIIbcd (EU waters) / 1 284 / 1 323 / 3.0%
Hake / Merluccius merluccius / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 1 496 / 1 541 / 3.0%
Hake / Merluccius merluccius / Vb (EU waters), VI, VII, XII, XIV / 23 888 / 24 617 / 3.1%
Hake / Merluccius merluccius / VIII a, b, d, e / 15 932 / 16 419 / 3.1%
Hake / Merluccius merluccius / VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 5 968 / 6 661 / 11.6%
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / I, II (Norwegian waters) / 1 000 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / I, II (International waters) / 70 000 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / V, VI, VII, XII and XIV / 474 333 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 122 024 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / IV (Norwegian waters) / 19 000 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / VIII a, b, d, e / 64 673 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) / 134 227 / pm
Blue whiting / Micromesistius poutassou / Vb (Faroese waters) / 16 000 / pm
Lemon sole and Witch / Microstomus kitt & Glyptocephalus cynoglossus / IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) / 6 500 / 5 850 / -10.0%