Brussels, 22/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 26 July, the Council of Ministers of the EU is to adopt a regulation setting at 15,600 tonnes the total allowable catch (TAC) for anchovies in the Bay of Biscay over the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 (see EUROPE 10175 on the Commission's proposal). An agreement on this text was reached at the meeting of Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU) of Thursday 22 July.
Last December, the European fisheries ministers set a provision quota for anchovy catches in the Bay of Biscay at 7,000 tonnes. The new TAC is 15,600 tonnes, which represents 30% of the biomass of the stock (51,350 tonnes) as estimated by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF). The traditional division of the quota between France and Spain remains as follows: 90% for the Spanish fleet (14,040 tonnes) and 10% for the French fleet (1,560 tonnes). However, under arrangements between the two countries, France will end up with a quota of 3,220 tonnes (leaving 12,380 for the Spanish).