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

2 TACs for 2005 and Commission proposals for 2006 TACs

Species Species ICES fishing zone % (common name) (Latin name) Commission difference TACs 2005 proposals for with TACs Final 1 TACs 2006 2 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 Coryphaenoides NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) grenadier rupestris 1 035 pm Roundnose Coryphaenoides V, XIV (Greenland waters) grenadier rupestris 285 pm Roundnose Coryphaenoides Vb, VI, VII (EU and international waters) grenadier rupestris 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

3 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 Vb (Faroese waters) Melanogrammus aeglefinus 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 NAFO 2J3KL cynoglossus 0 0 0.0% Witch flounder Glyptocephalus NAFO 3NO cynoglossus 0 0 0.0% Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus V, XIV (Greenland waters) hippoglossus 1 000 pm Atlantic halibut Hippoglossus NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) hippoglossus 200 pm American Plaice Hippoglossoides NAFO 3M platessoides 0 0 0.0% American Plaice Hippoglossoides NAFO 3LNO platessoides 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 Limanda limanda and IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) Flounder Platichthys flesus 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 I, II (Norwegian waters) aeglefinus 2 260 pm Haddock Melanogrammus Norwegian waters south of 62° N aeglefinus 761 pm Haddock Melanogrammus IIIa, IIIbcd (EU waters) aeglefinus 3 610 pm

4 Haddock Melanogrammus IIa (EU waters), IV aeglefinus 51 321 pm Haddock Melanogrammus VIb, XII, XIV aeglefinus 702 597 -15.0% Haddock Melanogrammus Vb, VIa (EU waters) aeglefinus 7 600 7 810 2.8% Haddock Melanogrammus VII, VIII, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) aeglefinus 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 Norwegian waters south of 62° N and Pollachius pollachius 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 I, II (Norwegian waters) poutassou 1 000 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius I, II (International waters) poutassou 70 000 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius V, VI, VII, XII and XIV poutassou 474 333 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) poutassou 122 024 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius IV (Norwegian waters) poutassou 19 000 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius VIII a, b, d, e poutassou 64 673 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) poutassou 134 227 pm Blue whiting Micromesistius Vb (Faroese waters) poutassou 16 000 pm Lemon sole and Microstomus kitt & IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) Witch Glyptocephalus cynoglossus 6 500 5 850 -10.0% Blue ling Molva dypterigia IIa, IV, Vb, VI, VII (EU waters) Not relevant Not relevant Ling Molva molva I, II (EU and International waters) 45 45 0.0% Ling Molva molva III (EU waters) 1364 136 0.0% Ling Molva molva IV (EU waters) 3 966 3 966 0.0% Ling Molva molva V (EU and International waters) 48 48 0.0% Ling Molva molva VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, XIV (EU waters and international waters) 14 966 14 966 0.0% Ling Molva molva EU waters of zones IIa, IV, Vb, VI, VII Not relevant Not relevant Ling Molva molva IV (Norwegian waters) 1 000 pm Ling and Blue ling Molva molva and Vb (Faroese waters) Molva dypterigia 3 240 pm Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus IIIa (EU waters), IIIbcd (EU waters) 4 700 4 700 0.0%

5 Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 21 350 21 597 1.2% Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus Vb (EU waters), VI 12 700 13 255 4.4% Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus VII 19 544 17 450 -10.7% Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus VIII a, b, d, e 3 100 3 500 13.0% Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus VIIIc 162 146 -9.9% Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus IV (Norwegian waters) 1 000 pm Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 540 486 -10.0% Northern prawn Pandalus borealis IIIa 5 719 pm Northern prawn Pandalus borealis IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 4 9803 pm Northern prawn Pandalus borealis Norwegian waters south of 62°00’ N 1 051 pm Northern prawn Pandalus borealis V, XIV (Greenland waters) 5 675 pm Northern prawn Pandalus borealis NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) 4 000 pm Northern prawn Pandalus borealis NAFO 3L 144 245 70.0% Northern prawn Pandalus borealis NAFO 3M Not relevant pm 'Penaeus' shrimps Penaeus spp. French Guyana 4 000 4 000 0.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa Skagerrak 7 448 6 460 -13.3% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa Kattegat 1 900 1 615 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa IIIbcd (EU waters) 3 766 3 766 0.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa IIa (EU waters), IV 57 370 pm Plaice Pleuronectes platessa Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV 982 786 -20.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VIIa 1 608 1 367 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VII b, c 160 136 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VII d, e 5 151 4 378 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VII f, g 476 405 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VII h, j, k 466 396 -15.0% Plaice Pleuronectes platessa VIII, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 448 448 0.0% Pollack Pollachius pollachius Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV 563 450 -20.1% Pollack Pollachius pollachius VII 17 000 13 600 -20.0% Pollack Pollachius pollachius VIII a, b, d, e 1 680 1 680 0.0% Pollack Pollachius pollachius VIIIc 328 262 -20.1% Pollack Pollachius pollachius IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 288 230 -20.1% Saithe Pollachius virens I, II (Norwegian waters) 3 600 pm Saithe Pollachius virens I, II (International waters) 0 pm Saithe Pollachius virens IIa (EU waters), IIIa, IIIbcd (EU waters), IV 69 600 pm Saithe Pollachius virens Norwegian waters south of 62° N 947 pm Saithe Pollachius virens Vb (Faroese waters) 2 500 pm Saithe Pollachius virens Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV 15 044 12 787 -15.0% Saithe Pollachius virens VII, VIII, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 5 574 4 738 -15.0% Turbot and brill Psetta maxima & IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) Scophthalmus rhombus 4 550 4 095 -10.0% Skates and rays Rajidae IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 3 220 2 737 -15.0% Skates Rajidae NAFO 3LNO 8 500 8 500 0.0% Greenland halibut Reinhardtius IIa (EU waters), IV, VI (EU and International hippoglossoides waters) 1 042 1 042 0.0% Greenland halibut Reinhardtius I, II (Norwegian waters) hippoglossoides 100 pm Greenland halibut Reinhardtius I, II (International waters) hippoglossoides 0 pm Greenland halibut Reinhardtius V, XIV (Greenland waters) hippoglossoides 6 300 pm Greenland halibut Reinhardtius NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) hippoglossoides 1 500 pm

6 Greenland halibut Reinhardtius NAFO 3LMNO hippoglossoides 8 254 8 038 -2.6% Atlantic salmon Salmo salar IIIbcd (EU waters) excluding Sub-division 32 460 000* 460 000 0.0% Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Baltic Sea Sub-division 32 17 000* 17 000 0.0% Mackerel Scomber scombrus IIa (Norwegian waters) pm Mackerel Scomber scombrus IIa (EU waters), IIIa, IIIb, c, d (EU waters), IV 17 067 pm Mackerel Scomber scombrus IIa (non-EU waters), Vb (EU waters), VI, VII, VIII a, b, d, e, XII, XIV 217 4773 pm Mackerel Scomber scombrus Vb (Faroese waters) 2 763 pm Mackerel Scomber scombrus VIIIc, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 24 873 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. V, XII, XIV 15 513 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. I, II (Norwegian waters) 1 500 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. V, XIV (Greenland waters) 15 9384 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. Va (Icelandic waters) 3 0004 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. Vb (Faroese waters) 4 000 pm Redfish Sebastes spp. NAFO 3M 7 813 7 813 0.0% Redfish Sebastes spp. NAFO 3LN 0 0 0.0% Redfish Sebastes spp. NAFO 3O 7 000 7 000 0.0% Common sole Solea solea IIIa, IIIb,c,d (EU waters) 9003 900 0.0% Common sole Solea solea II, IV (EU waters) 18 320 pm Common sole Solea solea Vb (EU waters), VI, XII, XIV 68 68 0.0% Common sole Solea solea VIIa 960 960 0.0% Common sole Solea solea VIIb, c 65 64 -1.5% Common sole Solea solea VIId 5 700 5 720 0.4% Common sole Solea solea VIIe 865 940 8.7% Common sole Solea solea VIIf, g 1 000 880 12.0% Common sole Solea solea VIIh, j, k 650 553 -15.0% Common sole Solea solea VIIIa, b 4 140 4 060 -1.9% Sole Solea spp. VIIIc, d, e, IX, X, CECAF 34.1.1 (EU waters) 1 216 1 216 0.0% Sprat Sprattus sprattus IIIa 46 250 50 000 8.1% Sprat Sprattus sprattus IIIbcd (EU waters) 490 636 468 000 -4.6% Sprat Sprattus sprattus IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 250 000 pm Sprat Sprattus sprattus VIId, e 7 680 6 144 -20.0% Spurdog/dogfish Squalus acanthias IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 1 136 pm White marlin Tetrapturus alba Atlantic Ocean 46.5 pm Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. IIa (EU waters), IV (EU waters) 40 616 pm Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. Vb (EU waters), VI, VII, VIIIa, b, d, e, XII, XIV 133 2233 pm Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. VIIIc, IX 55 000 46 750 -15.0% Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. X, CECAF Azores 3 200 3 200 0.0% Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. CECAF Madeira Islands 1 600 1 280 -20.0% Horse mackerel Trachurus spp. CECAF Canary Islands 1 600 1 280 -20.0% Norway pout Trisopterus esmarki IIa (EU waters), IIIa, IV (EU waters) 0 0 0.0% Norway pout Trisopterus esmarki IV (Norwegian waters) 5 000 pm Bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus Atlantic Ocean (east of longitude 45° W) and Mediterranean 18 331 pm Bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus Atlantic Ocean 44 475.4 pm White hake Urophycis tenuis NAFO 3NO 5 0004 5 000 0.0% Swordfish Xiphias gladius Atlantic Ocean (north of latitude 5° N) 7 700.4 pm Swordfish Xiphias gladius Atlantic Ocean (south of latitude 5° N) 6 966.7 pm Flatfish Vb (Faroese waters) 600 pm Industrial fish IV (Norwegian waters) 800 pm Combined quota EU waters of zones Vb, VI and VII Not relevant4 Not relevant

7 Other species IV (Norwegian waters) 7 000 pm Other species EU waters of zones IIa, IV, VIa north of 56° 30'N Not relevant4 Not relevant Other species I, II (Norwegian waters) 450 pm Other species Vb (Faroese waters) 760 pm By-catches NAFO 0, 1 (Greenland waters) 2 000 pm Deep Sea Sharks V, VI, VII, VIII, IX (EU and International waters) 6 763 Deep Sea Sharks X (EU and international waters) 1204

1Council Regulation (EC) No 27/2005 of 22 December 2004, Annexes IA, IB, IC, ID, IE and Council Regulation 2270/2004 of 22 December 2004. 2Proposal for a Council Regulation fixing TACs and quotas for 2006, Annexes IA, IB, IC, ID 3As amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1300/2005 4As amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 860/2005 * expressed by number

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