Brussels, 16/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 16 October, the European Commission adopted its proposal on the new levels of total allowable catch (TAC) and fishing effort for fish stocks available to Community fishing vessels mainly in the Atlantic, North Sea and the Channel. It is proposing a 25% reduction in cod catches in most zones, apart from the North Sea for which data has not yet been communicated to the EU because the latter is negotiating jointly managed stocks and trade with Norway. The Commission is said to be very concerned by the cod stock situation. Important reductions in the TACs for haddock in the West of Scotland, sole in the eastern English Channel and Norway lobster around Ireland have proven necessary. Reductions of 25% for vulnerable stocks of southern anglerfish, whiting in the Irish Sea and west of Scotland, blue ling, Irish Sea sole, and herring North and West of Ireland have been put forward. For a further 50 stocks, reductions of 15% or less have been proposed. These reductions go in the direction of the scientific advice, but have been moderated in order to alleviate hardship for the catching sectors in the short term.
Increased TACs for a few species: on a more positive note, some stocks that have been under long-term management plans are starting to show the benefits of better, longer-term management approaches. Following last year's TAC increase of 7%, a further small increase has been possible for North Sea sole. For another stock under a long-term plan - sole in the Bay of Biscay - a 2% increase has been possible. For herring to the west of Scotland, a 12% increase is proposed under the plan. Fisheries ministers from EU countries will negotiate quotas for 2010, based on Commission proposals made at their meeting on 14 and 15 December in Brussels.
A summary of the main quotas proposed by the Commission for next year is as follows: sand eel in the North Sea (no statistics expected in sicientific opinion for this species) ; tusk (-15% in all zones) ; herring (+12% and up to 24420 tonnes for West Scottish zone but -15% for Clyde stock and -25% for West Ireland zone) ; anchovies (-15% to 6800 tonnes for southern stocks for Spain and Portugal and maintaining closure in Bay of Biscay) ; cod (-25% in most zones, West Scotland, Irish and Celtic Seas); megrim (extension of 2009 TAC in most places, except -15% in North West Spain and off Portuguese coasts); rock and flounder (18 810 tonnes in North Sea, identical to 2009 TAC ); monk fish (maintaining 2009 TAC in North Sea, +15% in the Celtic Sea and bay, but -25% in North West Spain and off Portuguese coasts); haddock (-54% in West Scotland zone, -15% in Rockall, maintaining 2009 TAC in the Channel, Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay and Irish Sea); whiting (between -15 and -25% depending on zones); hake (-10%, to 46350 tonnes, for Northern hake but +15%, to 9300 t, for Southern hake); lemon plaice and witch flounder (-15% to 5774 t); blue ling (-25% to 1735 t); ling cod (-15% everywhere); lobster (-7% in North Sea, to 23188 t, maintaining of 2009 TAC 2009 in Skagerrak and Kattegat, -15% in West Scotland zone, -30% in the Channel and Celtic Sea zones, -15% in Bay of Biscay); Penaeus shrimps (maintianing TAC of 4108 in French Guyanan waters); plaice (-15 in many zones); colin (-15% in almost all zones including the Channel and Celtic Sea); black cod (-15% everywhere); turbot and brill (-15% in North Sea); ray fish (-15% in all zones); sole (+1% in North Sea, to 14 100 t, -25 in Irish Sea, -31% in the Eastern Channel, -15% in the Western Channel, -7% in South East Ireland, -15% in Small and Big Sole areas, +2%, to 4490 t, for South Brittany and South Biscay zones); sprat (extension of 2009 TAC ,170 000 tonnes in North Sea and 6145 in the Channel); black dog fish(no fishing targetted, only for supplepmentary catches); mackerel (-15%). (L.C./transl.fl)